Nixie the Dragon: Season 3b
by C-Alrich
Summary: Nixie's back in Teen Wolf:Season 3b. As usual, this is a run through of the second half of Season 3, but with Nixie. And we finally get to see Jordan! Yay! Danger, action, and the beginning stirrings of romance abound. :) Rated M, for language, certain content, and my ever persistent paranoia. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

I'm back guys! And so is Nixie!

Okay, just a couple things I want to mention up top here. Firstly, that I love you guys, and love that you enjoy reading my stories. I would write them anyway, for the sheer enjoyment that it gives me, but knowing that you guys are enjoying them as well, makes it even more fun and exciting for me.

Secondly, as I'm sure you guys know by now, this is a run through of the second half of Season 3, but with my character Nixie thrown into the mix. :) And I have been really excited to get here because this is the portion where Jordan Parrish is finally introduced. Yay!

Thirdly, simply because I want you guys to know, I have come to the conclusion that, before I move onto Season 6 after this, I will be reworking Season 4 a bit. Going back and looking at it, compared to my later works, I feel I could do better. It'll be basically the same story, but with what I hope will be more depth and detail, based on the now previous seasons that I've written. So, those of you who haven't read that one yet, you might want to wait. Those of you who have already read it, just know that it will be changing and undergoing construction some time in the future.

Okay. I've bugged you guys enough with knowledge and details that have nothing to do with the story. Without further adieu, here is Teen Wolf Season 3b with Nixie!

* * *

Chapter 1: Episode 3x13

For a brief moment that morning, Stiles was still frozen. His nightmares, if you could even call them that with how terrifying they were, seemed to be getting progressively worse.

In contrast, when he opened his eyes, the sun was shining and birds were chirping. It was literally a beautiful, perfect, sunny day in Beacon Hills. His dad came in to tell him to get up and get to school. Everything was normal.

Except when Nixie came to stand in his doorway… he knew that she was very aware that it wasn't normal. Not really.

Ever since that night, when he, Scott and Alison had sacrificed themselves for their parents, the darkness around their hearts had taken affect. In different ways, for all of them. All three couldn't seem to get a complete grip on reality again… not yet. That was the terrifying part.

The solace in all of that, the thing that gave them all relief out of that… was that Nixie knew. And not just because Deaton had said this would happen. Somehow, before they'd call her, before they'd see her again… she already knew what had happened. They would reach for their phone to call and talk to her about it, as she'd requested they do, and she'd already be on her bike, racing to come and find them wherever they were.

Being their emotional tether had its effects on her as well. Not that she would trade it for anything. Knowing when they were in danger, or scared, or when that darkness was trying to bury them again… Nixie would never wish that away. It helped her do what she'd always done… which was take care of them and protect them.

Between the three of them though, in Nixie's opinion, Stiles had the worst end of the deal. Alison was… well, dangerous in how the darkness affected her. She always ended up with a weapon of some kind, as though prepared to attack the next living thing that came at her. And Scott… he was having difficulty with his werewolf abilities. He hadn't shifted since the night he'd become an alpha. At times, he refused to even try.

But Stiles' nightmares… Nixie felt them the worst. She felt for all of them when these things happened. A tug on her heart that alerted her to the darkness growing in size and strength again. And when it happened to Stiles, the tug was stronger. Alison and Scott… usually they were alright, and could wait to see Nixie the next day, unless she was already well on her way to come and see them.

Stiles was different though. So profoundly real were the nightmares that he'd have… more than just dreams, but almost memories that were taking on new shapes in his mind. So when the darkness came after him, Nixie felt the pull on her heart with a more profound urgency.

She'd been staying at the Stilinski house the past couple of weeks. Nixie had been beginning to think that would be the best thing to do anyway… but before she could even suggest it, Noah had actually approached her and asked if she would stay in the guest room for a while.

That was when Stiles finally explained to her, amidst all the chaos of his nightmares, that there was one thing that always let him know for sure when he was truly awake.

And it was because of her.

She was never in the nightmares. Everyone else was, at some point or another. But through all the terrifying things he saw in his sleep, Nixie's presence was never there. While he was still sleeping, still reliving those dreams, she wasn't present. It wasn't until the end, when he was so close to waking up that it was frustrating, when she would appear.

Stiles knew she didn't want to hear it, but she appeared as a sort of angel in his dreams. Not with wings or a halo or anything like that. But where everything else in his nightmares was dark, and almost lifeless… she glowed. There was always a sort of light emitting from her when she'd finally appear, penetrating through the dream he was trapped in. And as long as he reached for her, he could finally wake up and be back in reality.

It was why Noah wanted her at the house, until they could figure out how to put an end to this. Stiles would see her at the end of the dream and realize he was waking up… but after a certain point… he began to worry that he may have somehow drifted back to sleep, slipped back into another nightmare.

But if Nixie was there, at the house, and he could see her… he knew he was still in the land of reality.

She'd taken to coming to his room every morning. Noah would wake her first, if she wasn't already up, and then he'd go to get Stiles. Nixie would be right behind him, and then stand in the doorway for Stiles to see. It helped ease him, and so long as she stayed until he'd finally relaxed, the morning usually went off without a hitch.

Nixie knew it was getting worse though. For all of them. Having Nixie in the house had helped Stiles a great deal. And being around all of them, in general, helped Scott and Alison as well. But Alison, where she had been having dreams too and then waking up with weapons on hand; had begun experiencing the same while she was still awake. Nixie had found her outback in the woods one afternoon, shooting arrows at a tree in rapid succession.

To anyone else, it looked like Alison was intensely practicing her aim. But Nixie had known, through being their emotional tether; that Alison wasn't just aiming at the tree. She was aiming at something else… something no one else could see. And Scott… he was frightening himself. He'd attained his power as an alpha, he'd broken the mountain ash barrier, he'd saved his family and friends. But… he also knew what this power did to some people. He'd seen what it'd done to Peter, to Deucalion, to the other alphas, and even in some ways, what it had done to Derek for a time.

Nixie assured him, often, that he would never become like that. Scott was hers and she knew him better than that. But as time still passed… Scott grew harder and harder to convince of that truth.

And Stiles, though seeing her in the morning had helped at first, now still always seemed to question if he was awake. Seeing her in the morning was now only good enough for a little while, and then later, his certainty of everything around him would falter again. He'd be fine until they got to school, and then halfway through first period, or maybe even before that, he'd wonder if he was dreaming again or not. Nixie had taken to meeting him at his locker between every single class, to help prove when he was awake.

And now, as he'd told Nixie the other day… he was beginning to have trouble reading. Like he'd suddenly become dyslexic. They letters just weren't in the right order anymore.

Seeing Nixie usually helped that go away as well. And there were other things they'd been trying. Counting his fingers was something they'd worked on. You always had too many fingers in dreams. So long as he only counted ten, he was good and knew he was awake.

But it was still getting worse. And Nixie was becoming hard pressed to be everywhere she needed to be nowadays. Alison, Scott, and Stiles didn't notice it as much. They were distracted by their own problems, and Nixie didn't blame them in the slightest for that. But Lydia… she noticed. And Isaac too, for that matter. The dark circles under her eyes weren't always there, but they could both clearly see when Nixie had a particularly long night or evening, running back and forth between the three people who needed her most right now.

They'd taken to bringing her breakfast at school, because she started running out of time to grab anything for herself. And Lydia sent Stiles a reminder, every morning, to remember to make Nixie's coffee. Nixie had forbidden either of them from mentioning to Scott, Alison, or Stiles that they might be stretching her a little thin. They needed her, and until they had finally gotten a grip on this, she would continue to run in circles between the three of them, making sure they were okay. But Lydia did always remind Stiles about the coffee.

Stiles, sitting up in bed now, nods to Nixie and asks, "You ready for today?" "For what part of today exactly? Our math quiz, the finishing of our science report, or the glorious thing we call history class?" Grinning, Stiles asks, "Still hate it, huh?" "Always. With a passion. You good?" Stiles nods, but Nixie doesn't miss his grin slip a little as she walks away.

Yeah, it was definitely getting worse.

* * *

The night was broken by a scream that seemed to reverberate in Nixie's mind. The brush she always felt against her heart actually seemed to knock into her this time, and she felt short of breath as she struggled to roll out of bed.

Stiles was in his room, screaming in sheer terror, at whatever he'd just seen. This type of nightmare, the ones that woke him up in complete agony and chaos, were becoming more frequent too, and with it, so was the slight pain that Nixie seemed to wake up with in her chest.

Racing down the hall, she watches Noah rush in to grab Stiles and hold him close. Still writhing on the bed, clinging to his father, Stiles' eyes darted around looking for something.

Noah turned him enough so he could see Nixie standing by the bed, and Stiles relaxed instantly. Then he launched out of the bed and wrapped himself around her. She held him tight, but tears were in her eyes as she felt him shaking, literally all over.

This couldn't go on. They had to do something. And sooner, rather than later, was definitely when it needed to happen.

* * *

As she was driving to school, keeping herself behind Stiles for his sanity this morning, she felt another brush against her heart. And then another. And then two at the same time. That was a first.

And it was beginning to hurt. The more alarmed her friends seemed to get about whatever they saw, the harder the brush, and the more pained Nixie became. And the scar on her chest didn't help, since it would ache along with everything else after that.

Rubbing at her chest, she sighs and says, "Sorry Stiles." Then she pulls around him, motions for him to keep up, and then takes off down the road in front of him. And for his part, Stiles does keep up with her.

Considering how fast she was going though, Nixie doesn't consider that a good thing.

As they arrive at the school, Stiles hops out and catches up to her while asking, "What's up?" "Alison and Scott are both freaking out." "Okay, seriously, Nixie. How do you know that? And I don't just mean that we need you, but which one of us it even is? How do you…" "Stiles, we really don't need to worry about that right now. Let's find Scott. He's this way."

Following her, Stiles says, "Right. Because on top of knowing who we can trust, and knowing which one of us three needs you at any given time of the day, you've also somehow developed an eighth sense in which you can track us like we've all be inserted with GPS chips that your brain is hard-wired to always know where they are."

Nixie raises an eyebrow at that long sentence, but then ponders for a moment and says, "Hmm… that's not a bad idea. Where do you think we could find GPS chips like that?" "I was joking!"

She grins, and then turns back around in time to stop herself from falling down as they nearly run straight into Scott, who had been hurrying down the steps. He was panting now, in front of them. And though Nixie had seen him worried before, this was the first time that he suddenly grabbed onto her with enough force to make her worry that he was going to leave a bruise.

He stared at her face for a moment, and then sighs and looks at Stiles, who asks, "Are you alright, Scott?"

He nods, but then Stiles adds, "Well, you don't look aright." Shaking his head now, Scott affirms, "I'm okay." Stiles sighs and says, "No, you're not. It's happening to you too. You're seeing things aren't you?" Scott blinks and asks, "How'd you know?"

And as Lydia comes up to join them, Alison in tow, Nixie sighs and says, "Because it's happening to all three of you." Lydia nods, and then says, "Got your text." "Thanks Lydia." "Sure thing. How'd you know Alison needed you though? Like… seriously?" "One problem at a time guys. And helping you three keep it together… that definitely comes first. So… let's get cracking."

And in spite of their scares just now, all three grin at her. Scott wrap an arm around her shoulders as they head back into the school. Lydia leading the way, she sighs and says, "I have to admit, it's nice not to be the crazy one now." And though Alison was about to comment, she laughs when Nixie says, "When was that ever your position? I told you that you weren't crazy. And if anyone gets to be crazy in this group, it's me. So there."

Stopping in the hallway to look at each other, Scott sighs and says, "We did die and come back to life. That's bound to have some consequences, right?" Nixie nods along with everyone else, and then Stiles says, "We'll look out for each other, alright?" And they smile again when Nixie says, "And you will text me when something happens. All of you. Without fail." Scott kisses the side of her head and says, "Without fail. Promise." "Good. Now, everyone, off to class."

As they all nod, Stiles then adds, "And Lydia… leave the sarcastic teasing of our conditions to Nixie. She's better at it." Shoulders slumping a little, Lydia asks, "None of it made you feel any better?"

And they all know she's just trying to cheer them up, same as Nixie always did. But sarcasm wasn't always Lydia's strong suit, the way it was for Nixie and Stiles.

But the adorable look on her face when she asks Stiles the question, makes him grin. Giving her a hug, he says, "Some of it. And that definitely did. See you later."

Lydia smiles at that, and then links arms with Nixie as they head to class. Falling a little back, behind the others, Lydia asks, "How much sleep did you get last night?"

Alison was the one that Nixie had to keep informed about her scars and injuries. Likewise, in this situation, Nixie was forced to keep Lydia informed, about how much sleep she was able to get while still trying to keep Alison, Scott, and Stiles' sanity intact. She'd tried to tell Lydia not to worry about it, but the girl had insisted on knowing. She'd even enlisted Isaac's help, getting him to sit outside her bedroom at night to monitor how many times she was woken up because her phone rang.

In the interest of not making Isaac sit out in the cold all night, Nixie now informs Lydia of how much sleep she gets. Sighing now, Nixie says, "Four hours." "Nixie…" "I can function on three when necessary." "But it shouldn't be necessary. I get that they all need you and you're their tether and all… but Nixie… you need rest." "Oh, fiddlesticks. I'll sleep when I'm dead." "If you keep this up, you're going to wreck your bike one day from falling asleep at the wheel, and then you'll be dead."

Grinning, Nixie says, "Promise to bring blue flowers to my funeral." "Nixie, I'm serious." "I am too. And don't you dare let anyone bring pink flowers to my gravesite." And in spite of how serious Lydia was, she grins and asks, "And what are you going to do about it?" "Haunt the place and make all the pink flowers shrivel up and die as a consequence. Why are you laughing?"

* * *

As Alison's hand quivers like a leaf in the wind while trying to paint, Lydia and Nixie look at each other before Lydia says, "Not the steadiest hand for a superb marksman." Sighing, Alison says, "It's been happening for the past few weeks. Ever since that night…"

She drops her brush into the paint below, the red splashing up onto the blank paper. Lydia and Nixie watch as Alison freezes, eyes staring at it in terror. Nixie feels the brush against her heart that signals Alison is seeing something that they can't again, so Nixie gets up from her chair instantly. It's not like her own painting was going very well anyway. The extent of her ability, aside from maps and layouts, were stick figures, and that was it.

Ripping Alison's top canvas off to get to the next clear one, Nixie then says, "Start over." Alison nods, and begins again.

Nixie feels another brush against her heart right after that, this one pertaining to Scott this time. Rubbing at her chest and wincing, she looks over to see Isaac watching them. His eyes had been on Alison a while ago, but now they were resting on her, concern clearly etched into his facial expression. Coming over to him, pretending to look at his own work, Nixie says, "Hey." "Hey yourself. You alright?" "I'm fine. Need a favor though." "Name it."

Smiling in appreciation, Nixie nods to Alison and says, "Keep an eye on her. And I don't just mean in school." "You think she's getting worse?" "I think they're all getting worse." Isaac nods, and then gestures to her and asks, "What's wrong with your chest?" "Nothing. I'm fine." "Nixie… Lydia told me I'm never supposed to believe you when you say that."

Blinking in surprise, Nixie says, "Well… then I don't know what to tell you. But compared to everyone else around here, I'm fit as a fiddle. So there. And I'm not changing my answer. Deal with it." Grinning a little, Isaac draws her in to kiss the side of her head. And then he chuckles when Nixie says, "I must really be on fire today. I've been kissed on the head, like, two or three times already. Anymore, and it's gonna be a new record."

* * *

The two pulls on her heart, coming back to back again, was beginning to wear on Nixie's nerves. Not because she was mad at any of them that caused it. It wasn't their fault. They couldn't help it. No… it was more because it was making it increasingly hard to be where she needed to be to help them.

Like right now, she knows that Stiles experienced something, and immediately following that, Scott was going through something. He was still going through it, as she hurried her way down the hall to try and find them. That was, indeed, another helpful part of these tugs she felt. They gave her a sense of direction to go in, like a trail she could follow to find them.

Which is how she ended up in the empty classroom, where Scott and Stiles were kneeling in front of each other on the floor. Hurrying towards them, she asks, "What happened?"

Both boys look up at her, and Stiles sighs and says, "I… couldn't see the numbers on my lock for a moment. Like… they weren't even numbers. They looked like strange symbols. And then Scott's eyes started to glow." Gesturing to the blood from Scott's hands, Nixie asks, "And that?!"

Scott sighs and says, "Pain makes you human."

Nixie remembers Derek telling them that once, when Scott had first ever been shot by an arrow of the Argents. Nodding, Nixie says, "Fine. But next time come find me. I'll slap you in the back of the head. Less mess."

Both boys grin finally, and then Stiles says, "Yeah, I don't really think that would be enough." Raising an eyebrow, Nixie replies, "You wanna bet? I've never actually hit any of you as hard as I can. If need be, I'll swing a bat as his head like I did to Derek when we were first getting used to him. Worked wonders on him."

Scott chuckles, and then sighs and says, "I'll keep it in mind, if this happens again."

Nixie grows somber at that, and then sighs and says, "I don't think 'if' is the right word. More like when. You guys… this keeps getting worse for the three of you." Stiles nods and says, "It's not just in our heads either. This is real." Looking to Scott, he admits, "Nixie already knows this… but it's starting to get really bad for me too. I'm not… I'm not just having nightmares. I'm having these dreams where I have to literally scream myself awake. And sometimes… I'm not even sure if I'm ever really waking up. Not until I see Nixie walk into the room."

Scott sits up straighter and asks, "What do you mean?" Stiles sighs, "Do you know how you can tell if you're dreaming? You can't read in dreams. And more and more, the last few days… I've been having trouble reading. It's like I can't see the words. I can't… put the letters in order." "Like… even now?"

Stiles ponders that for a moment, and then looks up at the chalk board behind Scott. When he can't read that, he looks to the posters on the walls, but he can't read those either. Hands starting to shake, he says, "I can't read a thing."

For the briefest of moments, he's terrified that he's dreaming again. That somehow, he's still asleep. But Scott watches as he relaxes when Nixie says, "Hey. I'm right here."

Stiles turns to look at her, still wanting that visual confirmation. And when he sees her, he sighs in relief and slumps against the nearby desk. Scott stands up and looks between them curiously. Stiles then admits, "Nixie… she's the only thing that consistently lets me know I'm awake. She's never a part of the nightmares. It's like… I don't know. It's like she can't be, or something. But everyone else is there, at some point. Everyone except her. If I can see her… I know I'm awake."

Scott nods, and then says, "That's… actually really similar to me." Stiles stands up straighter and asks, "What do you mean?" "I mean… lately I've been feeling more and more out of control. But… whenever I see Nixie… it's like I feel like I have a grip again. Even now, when I finally pulled it together on the floor, I still felt even better when she just walked into the room."

Both boys look to her, and she shrugs and says, "Emotional tether. Deaton said I would be the light in your darkness. Whether he meant that so literally or not, I'm not sure. We should probably talk to him soon about this." Scott nods says, "Right. And until then?"

Nixie shrugs and says, "I'm starving. You guys want to go eat now?" Chuckling, Stiles says, "Yeah. Let's go. And then we'll figure out what to do about the fact that we're losing our minds."

And they both grin when Nixie says, "Yes, because we can't have that. Your minds are beautiful, and would be a terrible thing to waste."

* * *

That night, though hesitant about not staying at Stiles' place, Nixie stayed at Alison's house. Lydia, even after nearly being shot in the face with an arrow, refused to leave Alison alone after that. Isaac, having caught the arrow in time, texted Nixie immediately, and then Lydia asked if she could spare a night away from Stiles to stay with Alison.

It was a testament to how serious things were getting, that Lydia was asking Nixie to spread herself even thinner, in light of knowing how tired Nixie already was.

They were all asleep in the bed tonight, Alison in the middle with Lydia and Nixie on either side. Or… they all went to sleep at the same time.

Lydia woke up a while later, frowning at the whispering she heard. For a brief moment, she thought something was happening again, and that she was maybe on the verge of going off to find another dead body.

But when she sat up and turned towards the rest of the room, she saw Nixie standing there by the window.

She refused to leave the room, not knowing if Alison might wake up and need her to be nearby, or if even Lydia would need her to be close to keep her safe from whatever hallucination Alison might end up having. But Stiles had called. He'd had another nightmare. And as his voice had shaken over the phone, Nixie had gotten out of bed so she could talk to him more freely.

Sitting down at the seat by the windowsill, Nixie reminds him about the English essay they'll need to work on later in the week. She brings to attention the fact that, even with Lydia's text, he'd forgotten her coffee yesterday morning, teasing him about that to make him laugh.

She stayed on the phone another thirty minutes after that, just talking to him, until she heard him yawn. She never hung up, not until she heard him snoring on the other end of the phone.

Sighing as she sits her phone back down, she runs her hands over her hair, over her face, and then curls up her knees towards her chest. She briefly pressed her hand to her chest, rubbing to try and ease the ache, and then crosses her arms over top of her knees. Looking out the window, she asks silently, "What do I need to do?"

Lydia stands up from the bed, careful not to wake Alison. Moving to Nixie's side, gently touching her shoulder, she says, "Hey. Everything okay?" "Yeah. Stiles had a nightmare. He's back to sleep now." Lydia nods, but then asks, "And you?" "I'm fine." "You know I don't actually believe that anymore. Especially right now."

Nixie grins a little, before nodding, "I know. You're the smart one." Grinning too, Lydia sits down in front of her. Putting one hand on her arms, she asks, "What can I do?" "Just keep reminding Stiles to bring me coffee." "And if he forgets again?" "I don't know. I'm sure Starbucks must have something I'll find descent to drink." "If I ask them to put heavy cream and sugar into a Caramel Macchiato, do you think that would work?" Nixie shrugs, but says, "Maybe if they add extra caramel too. Or… I don't know what Stiles puts in the coffee I drink. I don't think its caramel."

Lydia giggles silently and says, "You mean out of everything you can do, you can't take a sip of your coffee and know exactly what the ingredients are?" Chuckling, Nixie says back, "Alas, my sense of taste is apparently the one that was least enhanced when I was created. All I know is I like Italian food, and I like the coffee Stiles makes for me."

They sit there silently for a while, and then Lydia asks, "How much worse do you think this'll get?" Nixie sighs, "I don't know. I… just don't know."

* * *

"Okay, so what happens to a person who has a near-death experience and comes out of it seeing things?" Nixie lifts her head at Scott's question. Looking over at him, past Stiles who she is sitting next to, she asks, "That's our only question of the day so far?"

He grins at her, and then looks at Stiles when he adds, "Well, I'm adding the fact that I can't tell what's real or not to the question list." And then Alison says, "And the fact that I'm being haunted by demonic visions of dead relatives."

Isaac sighs and says, "They're all locked up, because they're insane." Nixie snaps her eyes over to him and says, "I will, literally, walk around this table, just so I can slap you in the head. Don't tempt me." Stiles nods and says, "Yeah. Seriously. Can you at least try to be helpful? Please?" Isaac shrugs and says, "For half of my childhood, I was locked in a freezer. So, being helpful is kind of a new thing for me." "Okay, dude, are you still milking that?" "Yeah, maybe I am still…"

Nixie taps her fist on the table and says, "Boys, behave. Serious questions flying around. Isaac, no more sarcastic answers. If it's not helpful, keep it to yourself. And Stiles…" She turns to him, and then shrugs and says, "Be nice to Isaac. He was locked in a freezer half of his childhood."

Stiles lets his head thump to the table in defeat while Isaac grins over at Nixie. Then they all stop and look to the end of the table, where the new girl, daughter of their new history professor, Kira is standing. Waving a little shyly, Kira says, "Hi. Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing what you guys were talking about." Nixie raises an eyebrow and says, "Okay? And you paused beside us to tell us you heard us talking, or…"

Kira figdets a little and says, "Oh. Sorry. It's just… I think I might actually know what you're talking about." Nixie makes a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat and says, "Pray-tell." "There's a Tibetan word for it. It's called 'Bardo'. It literally means 'in-between state'. The state between life and death."

Lydia, suspicious for the moment, asks, "And what do they call you?"

But before she can answer, Scott says gently, "Kira." And when all eyes, even Nixie's, turn to him curiously, Scott explains, "She's in our history class."

Nixie narrows her eyes at him slightly, though there's also a grin on her face as well. The new girl being in their history class wasn't exactly the greatest reason for Scott to have remembered her name. He liked her.

Which meant Nixie needed to decide if she did or not. Not that it was hard to do. Nixie's radar for whether or not she liked people was always on, somehow.

Turning back to Kira, she listens as Lydia asks, "So… are you talking 'Bardo' in Tibetan Buddhism or Indian?" Kira fidgets again and says, "Either, I guess. But all the stuff you guys were just saying? All that happens in 'Bardo'."

Nixie looks at her thoughtfully a moment more, and then, to the shock of everyone at the table, she points and says to Kira, "I like you. Have a seat." She scoots over to make room, and Kira smiles a little before sitting down next to her. Setting her books down, she says, "There are… different progressive states where you can have hallucinations. Some you see, some you just hear. And you can be visited by peaceful and wrathful deities."

Nixie looks over at Alison and whispers, "Yours… definitely wrathful." But, given that Kira probably wasn't talking about Alison's aunt, Isaac asks, "Wrathful deities? And what are those?" "Like demons."

The cheerful way in which Kira said it, like she wasn't telling all three of her friends that they were being haunted by demons, made Nixie grin and bite her lip as she tried not to laugh. Stiles, from next to her, says, "Demons. Of course. Why not?"

Then he glances at Nixie and rolls his eyes before whispering, "Keep it up Ms. Chuckles. I might hit you in the back of the head in a minute." "Whatever." Then Alison, curious, says, "Hold on. If there are different progressive states, then what's the last one?" And Kira, still without a touch of worry in her tone, says, "Death. You die."

And… yeah, Nixie doesn't laugh at that one. Kira was still adorable and cute as a button with the way she talked like she wasn't commenting on her friends' imminent doom. But that wasn't funny. Turning to the others for a moment, Nixie whispers, "So… we're going to talk to Deaton this afternoon. Everyone just get on board that train. No arguments."

No one does, and then Nixie turns back to Kira, who is pulling out one of her notebooks. Glancing at it, Nixie asks, "The English essay?" Kira looks up at her and says, "Um… yeah. I just… papers aren't my strongest suit. Even though my dad's a teacher and he could proofread it… I kind of just don't like hearing him tell me everything that's wrong with my English paper. I'd rather he just be my history professor in school. Nothing else."

Nixie nods, understanding that. Then she takes the paper and says, "Well, lucky for you, you're sitting at the right table. I'll take this, and return it to you when I'm finished. Stiles, I need a red pen."

The others kind of just stare at her for a moment, but Stiles hands her a pen, regardless. Watching her begin going over Kira's paper, same as she did all of theirs all the time, Stiles turns to Scott and says, "So… we just made a new friend." Scott nods with a laugh, and then looks up at Isaac when he asks, "Why? I mean… I don't get it. Why does Nixie like her so much?" Scott shrugs and says, "Why did she like me and Stiles when first saw us? Why did she like Alison as soon as she got here? Why does she like you, or Lydia? And how did she know, from the beginning, that she hated Gerard, Kate, Peter, and everyone else that's ended up being an enemy?"

Shrugging, Scott chuckles again and simply says, "It's best not to question it. Just bear in mind that Nixie doesn't quickly warm up to a lot of people… and those that she does warm up to… they're going to make good friends."

And yeah… given all they've been through as of late… it couldn't hurt to have another friend.

* * *

At the clinic, Stiles tells Deaton about the most recent dream he had, while he was still awake in Coach Finstock's class. Walking into the back, Deaton says, "It sounds like your subconscious is trying to communicate with you."

Sighing, Stiles says, "Yeah, well, how do I tell my subconscious to use a language that I actually know?" Referring to the sign language that had been used in his dream. Stiles then chuckles when Nixie says, "On a side note, I'd someday like to understand how his subconscious could know sign language, when the rest of him doesn't. But… we can address that later."

Deaton smiles gently at her, and then asks Stiles, "Do you remember what the sign language looked like? The placement and the movement of the hands?" Blinking in surprise, Scott asks his boss, "You know sign language?" "I know a little. Let me give it a shot."

Stiles shows him the three symbols, and after he's finished, Deaton says, "When is a door, not a door?"

Aggravated again, Stiles says, "When is a door not a door?" Nixie, already knowing this one, shrugs and says, "When it's ajar. It's a play on words." Stiles looks over at her and huffs, "You're kidding me. A riddle? My subconscious wants to tell me a riddle?"

But Deaton says thoughtfully, "Not necessarily. When the three of you went under the water, when you crossed from unconsciousness to a kind of… superconsciousness… you essentially opened a door in your minds." Nixie sighs as she runs a hand through her hair while Scott asks, "So what does that mean? The door's still open?" Deaton nods and then says to Nixie, "Ajar."

Looking up at him, Nixie says, "And I've never been more disappointed to understand what a riddle is supposed to mean. Great." Stiles sighs and says, "A door into our minds." Deaton nods and says gently, "I did tell you it was risky." Scott nods and asks, "What do we do about it?" "Well, that's difficult to answer."

Nixie narrows her eyes and says, "Yeah, well, un-complicate it real fast, Doc." Stiles nods, and then looks to Deaton's face and says, "Besides, I know that look. That's the 'we know exactly what's wrong with you, but we have no idea how to fix it' look." Deaton sighs and says, "One thing I do know, is that having an opening like that into your mind… it's not good."

Throwing her hands up a little, Nixie says sarcastically, "Well, thanks Doc. Because that wasn't something we were aware of yet." Deaton smiles gently at her and says, "My apologies. My point is, that they each need to close that door. And it needs to be done as soon as possible."

As they all head out of the clinic, Stiles puts both hands to his head and asks wearily, "So… what are we going to do? I mean… we…" Nixie wraps him up in a hug and says, "We are going to fix this. I promise. I'll figure something out. We all will. Got it?"

He hugs her back, and then sighs against her and says, "Thanks." "Of course. Now, how about we…" But before she can finish her thought, Noah pulls up in the cruiser. As he hops out, Stiles gives him a confused look and asks, "Dad, what are you doing here?" "I'm here, because I need some help. Actually… your help, Scott."

Scott asks, "Why me?" And then he grins when Nixie adds on behind him, "Furthermore, why not me? I'm highly offended at not being included in this." Noah chuckles, but then looks to Stiles, who asks in further confusion, "Wait… how did you even know we were here?"

Noah just nods towards Nixie, and as the boys turn to look at her, she shrugs and says, "What? He texted to ask where we were. He didn't say he was coming to meet us. If he had, I would've mentioned it. But he didn't, so I didn't mention it. And now we know he's here to get Scott's help. And I was just a tool used to find Scott. Hence, my being highly offended."

Noah grins again, and then says to Scott, "I need your help… because eight years ago, almost an entire family died in a car accident. One of the bodies, a young girl named Malia, was never found. And there's enough evidence to have me thinking that… maybe a werewolf could have caused the accident. And then dragged her body away, into the woods."

Looking at Nixie, he says, "And I was hoping to see if Scott could, maybe, get a lock on her scent. Think that's something you could accomplish?" Nixie raises an eyebrow and says, "Don't tempt me. I'll have Scott bite and turn me just to prove I can be just as helpful as he can." Scott grins at her and kisses the side of her head before saying, "I would never do that to you. I don't want to change a thing about you."

Smiling, Nixie says, "Ah. Now I'm flattered. Okay, so, how are we going to do that?" Noah raises an eyebrow now, and asks, "We?" "Well, yeah. Just because Scott's the one with the nose doesn't mean Stiles and I are just gonna sit on the sidelines. Sign us up, count us in, and lay down the plan Noah."

Grinning at her, he says, "We'll work on that later. Right now, come on. All three of you need to eat dinner. Tomorrow, we'll work on getting her scent, if it's still possible." They all nod, and then Stiles and Scott laugh when Noah says, "And Nixie… if you beat me home tonight by speeding, you're doing the dishes for the next month." "Ugh! He finally found my one weakness! Dirty dishes! Oh, the horror!"

* * *

But, as it turns out, Nixie can't go with them the next day. If they'd gone earlier in the morning, it would've been fine.

Nixie felt another brush against her heart, however. And after she made sure Stiles would be okay without her, and that her boys would call her for anything, she went to go and see Alison and Lydia.

Alison's moment this morning had to do with a dream she'd had, where her aunt appeared again. And while everything was currently fine, she still didn't want to be alone with Lydia right now… lest she risk almost killing her again. So Nixie stayed with them, helping them study for the math exam they would have later in the week.

They all end up falling asleep. Lydia keeps herself awake long enough to watch Nixie's head finally slump down onto a nearby pillow. Feeling relief in knowing that Nixie would at least get a little bit of extra sleep today, Lydia then conks out as well, Alison following shortly after.

When Alison bolted upright in the bed later on though, Nixie's eyes snapped open to watch her. She relaxed after a moment, noting that it was just another dream. But then Alison sat back up, and from behind her back, she pulled out one of her Chinese ring daggers… one she certainly hadn't had with her before.

Nixie moves then. Gently, she takes the blade from Alison, and moves it to sit on top of the desk by the window. Then she comes back to the bed, settles herself behind Alison, and wraps her up in a hug. Sighing in relief as she sinks into Nixie's arms, Alison says, "Why does this keep happening?"

Nixie reminds her of what Deaton said. About how the door to their mind was open, and they needed to shut it. Then she adds, "We'll figure this out Alison. I'm gonna make sure of that." It helps Alison relax a little bit more, and then she falls asleep again, still held in Nixie's arms.

When Chris comes in later to check on them, he smiles gently upon seeing his daughter finally resting peacefully. It was hard to tell nowadays, whether or not Alison was truly well-rested. But looking at her now, in Nixie's protective arms… he knew she was. Nixie's presence didn't allow for much else.

He was about to leave and close the door behind him, when Nixie's eyes shot open. And as Chris watches from the shadow of the door, he watches as she winces and then rubs at her aching chest again. Sighing, she gently maneuvers her way out from beneath Alison, and then puts her shoes and jacket back on, before heading for the door.

As she waits for the elevator, Chris comes up beside her and asks, "Everything okay?" "Yeah. Well… maybe. I need to go see Scott." "Why is that?" "He's having an episode." "I see. He text you or something?" Shaking her head, Nixie says, "I just… know. Something to do with being their emotional tether. I just know."

She steps into the elevator, and then holds the door open so she can say to Chris, "Tell her I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly. If she wants me to spend the night again, I'll work it out with Stiles later." Nodding, Chris says, "Sure thing."

As soon as she's out of sight though, Chris gets on the phone. It's answered after the third ring, and after a brief hello, Chris says, "Deaton, you said that what Scott, Alison, and Stiles did at the end of last semester would have an effect on them." "Yes, that's correct."

Chris pauses, and then asks, "What about Nixie? As their emotional tether… what sort of an effect should it be having on her?"

* * *

Nixie was halfway to the house when Melissa called and gave her a brief overview of what had happened. Apparently, the reason Noah was so earnest about looking back into some of his old cases, was because Rafael, better known as Rafe McCall, was gathering information in the interest of conducting a case for impeachment.

Rafe claimed it wasn't his intention to get Noah fired. He was just the one assigned to collect the information. Nixie was so quiet after a while on the phone, Melissa wasn't even sure Nixie was completely understanding the situation.

As Nixie was racing towards the house, Melissa pulled Scott aside. His episode was lasting longer than usual. His claws were extended, his eyes glowing, and his fangs had lengthened as well. And he couldn't pull them back. He couldn't get his control back. Ever since he'd officially lost Alison, officially lost his original anchor, it had been more difficult for him to maintain control.

He tells his mother as much, to which Melissa then says sternly, "Then be your own anchor. Scott, you can do this." "Mom, what if I can't? What if I…" "You can, sweetheart. You can." "But I…" "Nixie knows you can."

He blinks at that, still trying to gain control, but he asks, "What?" "Nixie. She knows you can do this, honey. She's always known. From the very moment all this first started happening. Ever since you guys started explaining this to me, she's always referred to you as the alpha of this pack. You are her alpha. Even when you didn't have the red eyes and the power, she considered you an alpha. She knew you were strong enough to be that, and were worthy of that title. Scott… Nixie knows, without a doubt, that you are strong enough for that. And if you're strong enough for that… you're strong enough to be your own anchor. Come on, sweetheart. You can do this. Just believe it, the way Nixie has always believed it."

Scott thinks that, in some small way, Nixie herself may be a key part of what now constructs his anchor. But his mother was right. He was an alpha. Nixie had always told him that he was her alpha. Even after Derek proved to not be an ass, Nixie's loyalty to Scott and in her belief that he would always be her alpha… it had never wavered or strayed. She knew he was strong enough for this. And Nixie, apart from Lydia, was one of the smartest people he knew.

Calming down, shifting back into his normal appearance, he nods to his mom that everything is going to be fine. Sighing in relief, she moves closer to him to tell him something important. "Sweetheart, let me tell you something no teenager ever believes, but I swear to you is the absolute truth. You fall in love, more than once. It'll happen again. And it'll be just as amazing and as extraordinary as the first time. And maybe just as painful. But it'll happen again. I promise."

Scott looks up at her, wearily but in understanding as well. And then she puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "And until then… be your own anchor." Scott nods, and then takes in a deep breath, relaxing a little bit more as a feeling of security, safety, and home seem to engulf him.

He snaps his eyes back open though as his mind registers what that smell usually means. Glancing back to his mom, he asks, "Did you call Nixie?" "Yeah. You guys said…" "No, I'm not mad. That's good. But…"

The loud crash from the kitchen and hallway draw their attention, and they rush in to see what just happened.

And there's Nixie. She'd made record time, as usual. And though Scott could smell the protective aura that seemed to always surround her, he could also catch the chemo-signal that was more prominently mixed in right now. Anger.

Nixie was pissed. And she was pissed at Scott's dad. And she'd just thrown him, literally thrown the grown man, into the stairwell behind him.

Rafe was currently on the floor, having slid and fell there after hitting the stairs. He was rubbing his jaw and wincing in even more pain as his other hand clutched at his side. It hadn't taken long, but Nixie had clearly done a bang up job of showing him just how big his screw-up was.

And when he looked up at her, ready to retort and maybe even threaten to arrest her, he found he couldn't speak. Hard, sharp, and furious blue eyes were glaring at him, somehow pinning him to his position on the ground.

The sharp chill that entered the house with her certainly doesn't help either. He shivers at the sudden freezing cold, though Scott and Melissa seem to be fine on the other side of the room.

Nixie's hands are in tight fists, so tight her knuckles are turning white. And she takes a step forward, maybe to punch or kick him again. Maybe to go as far as to try and break some part of the man.

Scott moves into her line of sight then, and though he's not any happier than she is about what his dad is doing, he shakes his head and says gently, "Nix." She looks over at him, and then says, "Remember our deal? Remember what I promised you I'd work on?" Scott nods, knowing she's referring to her attempt to not threaten to kill quite so many people anymore. Nixie then says through her teeth, "He is seriously pushing at my ability to keep that promise."

Scott nods again, and then walks up to her. And where Rafe was still slightly terrified of the young woman before him, he noticed that Scott had no hesitation in approaching her. Her eyes were still piercing, her hands till clenched, and she even seemed to shake in her rage. But Scott simply wrapped her in a hug, kissed the side of her head, and then said gently, "Come on."

Back to his mother, nodding, he says, "Thanks mom. Nixie and I are going up to study. Is that alright?" "That's fine, sweetheart."

After they're gone, Rafe looks to Melissa and asks, "Who the hell is she?" Raising an eyebrow, Melissa says, "Someone you should seriously try a lot harder to please. Her opinion on people is highly valued around here. And you, sir, are very low on her list right now. You want any chance of being welcome around here in the future, you need to step into her good graces."

And as she moves to the kitchen to try and cook some dinner, Rafe hears her add as an afterthought, "And heaven help you if you're stupid enough to stay on her bad side. That is definitely not a safe place to be."

* * *

Walking with her boys through the woods, having calmed down a bit, Nixie glances over when Stiles says, "You know, if my dad's right, that means there's another werewolf in town that we haven't met yet." Scott nods and affirms, "I know."

And then he and Nixie both grin when Stiles says, "And if it turns out to be something like triplets that form into, like, a three-headed hound of hell, I'm seriously not up for that." Scott nods again and says, "Me either."

Then both boys pause when Nixie says, "I don't know. Could be interesting. If it's anything like the three headed dog from 'Harry Potter', it wouldn't be that hard to deal with either. Just play some music for it, it goes to sleep, and presto, we get the magical sorcerer's stone and save the world."

Glancing back at them, since they've stopped walking and are now just staring at her, Nixie shrugs and asks, "What? It could happen. Werewolves exist people. I fully expect to get my invitation to Hogwarts any day now. And I will name my pet owl, Sarina. It'll be great."

Chuckling, Stiles asks, "You do realize, they don't actually save the whole world in the first book, right?" "Sure, sure. But you have to start somewhere. Harry started with a three-headed dog that liked music. We started with a sociopathic alpha and have now worked our way up to 'Voltron Wolf'. We're getting there guys. Slowly, but surely."

Scott just shakes his head and says, "I'm not even sure I know what we're talking about anymore." Stiles and Nixie look at each other, and then Nixie shrugs and says, "Muggles." They both laugh, and then continue following Scott, who says, "I just know that, if it does turn out to be a three-headed hound from hell… I'm not up for that right now either. Considering I can't even control my own transformation these days."

Nixie wraps an arm around him as they walk and assures, "But you will learn to control it. I have complete faith in you." Grinning, Scott says, "I know. And I appreciate that. Now, let's hurry up and find this crash sight." "Aye, aye captain."

As they near the edge of some rocks that slope down towards the ground below, they hear a coyote howl somewhere in the night. And Stiles… being Stiles, flails and grabs onto Scott and Nixie for dear life. Nixie expected as much. She was always prepared for Stiles' flailing limbs. Scott, though he was equally aware that Stiles was bound to do it sooner or later, could never seem to prepare himself for it when it happened.

Hence his phone falling down the hill and into the puddle below. Scott gives Stiles a look, to which Stiles says, "Sorry buddy."

As they head down for the phone, Stiles sighs and says, "I hate coyotes, so much. They always sound like they're mauling some tiny, helpless little animal." Nixie raises an eyebrow before saying, "And yet, you're completely comfortable hanging around a bunch of supernatural werewolves, who slash, maim, and break each other all to pieces. But you hate coyotes. Yeah, that makes sense." "You know what? Sarcasm not appreciated." "Love you too Stiles."

Scott jumps down the small incline, and then as Nixie climbs down, he offers her a hand to ensure she doesn't fall. Once on the ground with him, he grins when she says, "Always a gentlemen, Scott. I certainly know how to pick em', don't I." "Yes. I believe we established that when I became a true alpha." "Yeah. But it never hurts to reemphasize how excellent my talents of deduction happen to be when it comes to picking people."

Stiles comes down after them, sliding halfway down and nearly falling. He manages to save it though and tries to walk the few steps towards them as casually as possible, as though he didn't nearly fall on his ass. Nixie smirks at him, but doesn't comment, and is rewarded with a gentle hug before he asks Scott to borrow the flashlight.

Scott hands it over, and then picks up his phone and says, "Well, it still works." But, as it turns out, they no longer need it. Nixie is looking at the phone with Scott, when Stiles says from in front of them, "Guys, I think we found it."

Moving to catch up with him, Scott and Nixie see that not only is this where the car crashed… but the car is actually still here. Completely as it had been found the day the accident had been reported. Scott tilts his head and asks, "Uh… Why wouldn't they move it? Isn't it evidence?"

But as Nixie glances around them, and at where the car is stuck, she nods in agreement when Stiles says, "It was probably too much of a pain in the ass to tow out." And then Nixie adds, "Plus, I'm not even sure they could get a tow truck down here. Not without knocking down a few trees in the process. And since this is a preserve… that's probably highly illegal, so not the best idea."

As they look around the vehicle, examining what was still here, Stiles points out the huge claw marks that run down the side of the van. Scott reaches out to trace them, and then Stiles asks, "Animal claws would be closer together, right?" Nixie nods and says, "A lot closer. At least by a couple of inches each."

Pulling back, Scott says, "Then it was a werewolf." Nodding again, Nixie adds, "One with some serious road rage." Stiles glances over at her, and then says, "Bottom line, my dad was right." "Of course he was Stiles. Noah is a very intelligent man. And now, we have shoved him behind the supernatural curtain along with the rest of us. Firing him, especially at this point, would be a very bad idea."

Stiles nods, and then grins when Nixie adds, "And if Scott's dad is too stupid to see that, I'll smack him in the head. Continuously. Until it finally sinks into his thick skull." Stiles looks to Scott and asks, "That gonna be a problem for you?" "Nope. I'll hold him down for her." Beaming, Nixie says, "Excellent! And Stiles, you are in charge of buying the ski masks we wear when it happens. Alison and Lydia and Isaac will be in charge of providing us with cover stories so he can't arrest us for it. Full-proof plan, in under five minutes. New record."

Stiles finally hands her the flashlight and says, "You know what, Ms. Sarcasm? Why don't you go make yourself useful here in the present and find something else?" She takes it from him, but then says, "Just so you know, I still haven't forgiven you. That's why the sarcasm is flying in such heavy waves tonight." "Forgiven me? For what?" "For not informing me already that your dad was being put under impeachment. That is definitely information that you are supposed to give to me. Immediately. Without delay. Ever."

Bending down to look around inside the car, she says, "So, yeah. Deal with it."

Silence for a moment, and then Stiles puts a gentle hand on her back and says, "Sorry." Glancing back at him, she smiles gently and says, "Forgiven. Now, help me find something else."

They continue searching for a bit, until Nixie spots something dangling from where it was wedged against one of the seats. Pointing, she asks, "What's that?"

Stiles pulls out the little doll from the car. Raising an eyebrow, Nixie says, "Odd thing to leave in the car. I mean, I know they had a kid, and the car couldn't be moved… but the rest of it should've been taken into evidence, right?"

Stiles nods, and then, as if things weren't creepy enough out here, the doll suddenly speaks, "I'm hungry."

Flailing, screaming, and falling backwards into a boulder, Stiles tosses the doll into the air, letting it drop on the ground. Panting with a hand to his chest, he says, "I think I just had a minor heart attack." And Scott and Nixie, while they didn't freak out anywhere near as much as Stiles did, don't argue with him on that point. Sighing, Nixie is about to ask if it's possible for Scott to get a scent off the doll.

That's when Scott points towards the dark shadows between some trees and says, "Guys. Please tell me you see that."

Coming over to his side, Nixie sees the pair of blue shining eyes glowing at them from the shadows. Nodding, she says, "Yep. Two glowing dots in the darkness. And they're blue. Never a good sign."

But, oddly enough, Nixie didn't actually feel in danger or anything while looking at those eyes. No… if anything, she felt almost sorry for the eyes she was looking into.

Why she felt that way, she has no idea. But she does.

Then it takes off, and Scott hurries to trail behind it. Stiles shouts for him to wait, but Nixie is already in pursuit as well, trailing behind Scott as fast as she can.

When Scott turns up the jets though, Nixie falls behind. She manages to keep track of him though, using some of the techniques that Chris had been teaching her.

All that, however, did not prepare her to follow Scott all the way. She had some excellent skills, for being a human. Nixie knows that, and often enjoys pushing her limits to see how much better she can get, or how far she can go.

But leaping across this ravine, from one cliff face to the next… that was not something Nixie was willing to attempt tonight. So she remains on her side, closing her eyes and tuning her ears so she can hear what's going on over there.

Stiles eventually catches up, panting and about to ask what happened. But Nixie raises a hand to silence him, and he waits for her to hear something so she can tell him what's up.

For a moment, all she hears is more growling. But then, finally, a soft whimper. Followed by Scott's stunned voice, asking, "Malia?"

Opening her eyes, Nixie sighs and says, "Well, that is definitely not what I was expecting. Just when you think there's no way nothing else could shock you… boom! Some other twist gets thrown in." Stiles comes up to her now and asks, "What? What happened? Is Scott alright?" "Yeah, he's fine. And he found Malia." "What?! Really?! Where?!"

Nixie sighs again, and then says, "She's the coyote. She's a were-coyote."

Stiles stares at her for a moment more, trying to digest that. And then, because there's really nothing else to say, he says, "Shit." Nixie nods and says, "My thoughts exactly."

* * *

Ta Da! Chapter 1! And because I didn't say it up top, I will inform you know. This story will consist of 12 Chapters, for anyone who wishes to know that ahead of time. They have all been written. It's just a matter of my proof-reading to try and find errors. Also, if you see any errors that I missed that really bother you (the way they would bug the crap out of me), please let me know and I will work on fixing them. And, of course, please let me know what you guys think! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 2: Episode 3x14

As Scott and Stiles nearly run each other over, Stiles screaming in fear when he runs into Scott, they finally stop running around and Stiles sighs and says, "Oh. It's you. Good. Nixie and I, we think we found something." Scott nods and says, "So did I. Where's Nixie?" "Back where I left her." "You left her?!"

Stiles gives Scott a look and says, "It was either that, or she needed to leave me to come and find you. And since she's standing guard at what we think is Malia's current residence… she decided she would stay. You wanna argue with her about it, fine. You go ahead. Me, I'm not in the mood to get slapped in the head again just yet. Now come on."

He leads the way back to where Nixie is waiting, not too far off from where the car crash had been. And when they arrive, Nixie sighs and says, "For the record, it took you two entirely too long to get back here. Do you know how worried I've been?" Scott grins, and then gestures behind her and asks, "What's this?" "A coyote den. Come on."

She leads them inside, and after looking around a bit, Nixie edits, "Well… a were-coyote den, if you want to get technical." Stiles reaches for a light blue jacket that was on the ground, and says, "See this, Scott? This is Malia's. It's the same one she was wearing in the photo at the house." Scott nods, and then reaches out for a stuffed bear that was against the back wall.

Nixie watches him tense up then. Frowning, she asks, "What? What's wrong? You hear something?" "No Nix, nothing like that. It's just… we shouldn't be in here. Not if we wanted to find her sooner." Stiles tilts his head and asks, "What do you mean?" "She's not gonna come back now. We just invaded her home. Our scent is everywhere."

Sighing, Nixie asks, "If she doesn't come back here, then where is she going to go?" Scott shrugs in response to that, having no idea where the were-coyote might go next. Then Stiles asks, "Can you track her now? Like… you think you got her scent?" Scott thinks about that a moment, and then sighs and answers, "Maybe. But I'm better at this when I'm a full wolf. And I'm still worried that if I do it, I won't be able to turn back."

Stiles sighs and says, "The door's still open." Scott nods, and then looks up to Nixie and asks, "Has Derek sent anything back to you?"

She shakes her head, a deep frown coming over her features. Derek had been off the grid for the past few weeks. And it was bad enough when Nixie thought that, possibly, he had just gone back to forgetting that he needed to keep her informed of his whereabouts. But she'd been texting him all night tonight, telling him that they needed him to get his ass back here, on the double. If nothing else, he would've told her that he was busy, preoccupied, or hiding out and couldn't come to them.

He was in trouble. Fortunately though, Nixie was already taking care of it. His GPS location that she'd found told her that he was in New Mexico. Not a place she could go right now. Not with Stiles, Alison, and Scott still needing her at random intervals throughout each day. But…

When Nixie had finally found Braeden a while back, the girl who'd saved Isaac, the first thing Nixie had done was slap her in the back of the head. So stunned by it, Braeden actually didn't do anything, and just stood there and listened while Nixie told her, in no uncertain terms, that bruising her friends, disappearing after saving Isaac, nearly dying, and then trying to vanish without a trace… was not acceptable. At all. By any means.

Nixie made it apparent that Braeden had some making up to do. And even then, when Nixie had called her earlier tonight, Braeden still demanded payment for her services. 'A girl's gotta eat'.

Whatever. Nixie put what she could into an account that Braeden told her to wire it too. Nixie wouldn't be broke by any means… but she certainly wouldn't be spending any money on anything extra for the next few years. She'd be lucky if she could get all of her friends birthday presents when those days rolled around. And she still hadn't met the price that Braeden actually put up… but the girl was still doing it. Why she was doing it when Nixie could barely pay her half of what she wanted… Nixie has no idea.

But in any case, Braeden was working on getting Derek back. He still wasn't here to help them now, though. So, they definitely needed to figure something else out until then.

As though reading her mind, Scott then jerks his head to look at Stiles and asks, "This is basically a crime scene, right? I think it might be a little out of my boss's league." Understanding dawns on Stiles' face as he says, "And more in my dad's."

Smiling, Nixie says, "Alright. So, we should get out of here before someone can decide we contaminated a crime scene. Scott, check behind us to make sure we don't leave any footprints for someone to wonder about. The only thing anyone should be concerned with is Malia, not us. Let's go."

* * *

"You're sure it was her?" All three of them nod to Noah's question, and Scott explains, "I looked her right in the eyes. And they glowed, just like mine." Stiles adds, "It makes sense dad."

He looks between all three of them and says, "But… it wasn't a girl. It was… it was a four-legged coyote, right?" Stiles fidgets slightly as he says, "Yeah, well, see that's the part that we don't exactly have figured out yet." Nixie nods, but holds up a finger and says, "But we are working on it, and are formulating theories even as we speak."

Noah looks at her, and then holds his hands out in a hopeless type of gesture before asking, "Theories like what?" Scott jumps in and says, "Well… like, if it was a full moon, and Malia did change while her mom was driving, then anything could've happened." Pointing at Scott in emphasis, Stiles adds, "Horrible things could've happened. Ripping, shredding, tearing things." Nixie nods and says, "Which is probably what caused the accident in the first place."

As they continue explaining to him that main theory of theirs, Noah looks between all three. Then, when they're finished, he says, "Well, that makes sense." The boys sigh in relief, but Nixie tilts her head at Noah's tone. And then she sighs when Noah follows up with, "In a Chinese folktale!"

Looking between them all again, Noah sighs and says, "Guys, this is… this is insane." As he continues to talk to them, explaining that he wants this situation kept quiet, and not a word said by any of them, Nixie feels a brush against her heart. Jerking her head to look up at Scott, she finds his gaze trained on a stone a few yards away from them.

What Scott actually sees there, Nixie has no idea. She just knows it can't be good, since it's caused by the open door in his mind, and caused her to feel it tug at her heart for him. Gripping his arm, forcing him to look at her, she says, "Hey. Stay with me, Scott. Right here. Okay?" He nods, and then as Noah says his name, Scott shakes himself back to reality and says, "Sorry. What did you say?"

But before Noah can emphasize keeping all of this quiet again, especially from Mr. Tate… low and behold, Rafe McCall pulls up in his FBI car, with Mr. Tate in the passenger's seat. Noah sighs, "Oh, hell." Nixie narrows her eyes as Rafe brings Mr. Tate with him. She might even have half a mind to glare at Mr. Tate as well… but he's now clutching the blanket that Noah had been holding from inside the den.

"It's hers." Rafe nods to Mr. Tate and says, "Alright, wait here." Scott moves forward, annoyed as hell, and says, "Dad." "I'll talk to you in a minute. I wouldn't mind hearing how your mom's okay with you running around in the woods this late."

As he makes to move past them towards the den, he's drawn up short by Nixie, who had just swiftly moved into his path. Eyes glaring up at him, icier than ever, she says quietly, but fiercely, "You wanna get into what you think is bad-parenting? Fine, we'll get into that, Mr. McCall. Let's go on back. Way back. Back to when you were always a drunken ass, and an incredible danger to your son."

Rafe's eyes widen at her words. He was aware that she knew about him, and that she knew he was Scott's father. But he hadn't been aware that she knew that much. Nixie nods up at him, and then says, "Go on Mr. McCall. Threaten Melissa's ability to raise her son again. Go ahead. But just remember that I promise, with all my heart, that if I hear it again, I will do a hell of a lot more than just throw you into a stair railing."

She backs off after that, letting Noah go after him to talk to him. Standing next to Scott and Stiles again, she says, "We need to tell the others. If Scott's dad is going to push this investigation to go any faster, we're going to need all the help we can get if we want to find Malia before they hunt her down and kill her." Stiles nods, and Scott wraps an arm around Nixie's shoulders. Hugging her tight, he says, "Thanks for defending mom." "Of course. What good would I be in this pack if I didn't?"

Chuckling, Scott says, "You're not calling him by his first name. Why?" "Because, my dear Scott, that man has not earned the right to hear me say his first name aloud yet. And until he gets his act together and stops acting like an ass, he will continue to not hear it. So there. Why are you laughing at me? I'm dead serious."

* * *

Kira had never felt more humiliated in her life. Handing over the notes she'd made for Scott, who was now very aware that she liked him thanks to her father, she slumped into her seat and dropped her head into her hands.

It did make her smile to see Scott immediately begin looking at the research she'd done. She hopes it helps him and his friends with… well, whatever they were trying to figure out.

Scott, even as he was reading through the notes, couldn't help grinning. Kira was adorable, and she was definitely sweet and beautiful. And Nixie, whose opinion on people was about as golden as it could get, had warmed up to her instantly. He hasn't forgotten that Nixie, after their first meeting, had already taken to reviewing Kira's English paper. Which, in his opinion, was basically a clear sign that Kira was already in the rather selective group that was Nixie's circle of friends. A hard place to get, and an even harder place to leave. In fact, impossible to leave, he's pretty sure.

He was still pondering that, when his phone went off in his pocket. Glancing down and seeing Nixie's name, he grins at how ironic it was that he was thinking about her, and she up and texts him.

His smile is short-lived though, because he opens it up and reads her text, which asks, _"What the hell is wrong with Stiles?"_ Glancing up at his friend, who is standing at the podium trying to read from the textbook, he realizes instantly why Nixie is asking. Stiles looks like he can't breathe, can't really even see what's in front of him. Quickly rising from his seat, Scott asks, "Stiles, you okay?"

He can't answer, and as he nearly collapses, just barely hanging onto the podium for balance, Scott rushes up and says to Mr. Yukimara, "I should take him to the nurse's office."

Kira looks on in concern as Scott ushers Stiles from the room. She knows it's not her place, but she wishes she could go after them, to ask if Scott's friend is alright.

She can't though, and watches as another student is chosen to go up and read from the textbook. He's been reading for about a minute, when he glances at his watch and then grins. Looking out at everyone, he holds up his hand and counts down on his fingers, "In three… two… one…"

And as if on cue, Nixie opens the door and walks in. Mr. Yukimara, at first confused by the student's sudden counting, looks up in surprise before saying, "Ms. Haven. Do you need something?" Nixie glances at all of the desks, and then asks, "Stiles? Where is he?"

Mr. Yukimara, or Ken, looks at her in further confusion before asking, "Don't you have class? You should…" But upon seeing that he wasn't going to answer her quickly, Nixie's eyes shot towards the rest of the room. And Kira is a little stunned when Nixie's eyes find her, out of everyone else in the room, as she asks, "Where are Stiles and Scott?"

Her dad hadn't wanted to answer, but Kira didn't have a problem. "Scott said he was taking Stiles to the nurse's office." Nodding, Nixie says, "Thanks. Oh, and I'll have your paper back to you by Friday." "Thanks!"

As soon as she's gone, Ken looks to the rest of the class and asks, "What just happened?" Kira shrugs, not understanding it either. But one of the other students speaks up and says, "That's just Nixie, being Nixie. One of 'her boys' is in bad shape, and she appears out of thin air almost. I swear, it's like she has a radar for when something's wrong with them."

Meanwhile, Nixie moved further down the hall in search of her boys. She knows Scott didn't actually take Stiles to the nurse's office. The nurse was most definitely not going to be able to help him.

She was still hurrying down the halls, when she finally heard Scott from within the locker room, helping Stiles to count the fingers on his hands. Hurrying in on ten, she watches as Stiles glances back and forth between Scott's hands. He only sees ten fingers, which is as it should be. Which should mean he's not dreaming.

Shaking his head though, Stiles says, "No… no, I… I can't be awake. I… this has to be… just a dream. It has to…"

"Stiles." He snaps his head over to look at Nixie when she spoke his name. As she came further into the room, he let out a shaky breath before whispering, "You're here." Nixie nods and says, "And if you were dreaming, I wouldn't be here. Remember. I'm not in the nightmares. I never am."

He stares at her a moment more, and then relaxes a tiny bit and says, "I'm awake." "Yes Stiles. You're awake." His relief doesn't last long though. Frowning at the realization that he is awake, Stiles slumps down against the wall by the sink. Looking up at both of them, he asks, "What the hell is happening to me?"

Scott bends down in front of him, ushering silently for Nixie to start making her way closer to them. Giving Stiles a reassuring look, he says, "We'll figure it out. You're going to be okay." But Stiles shakes his head at Scott and asks, "Am I? I mean… are you?"

Shaking his head in further despair, Stiles adds, "Scott, you can't transform. Alison's being haunted by her dead aunt. And me… I'm straight up losing my mind. We can't do this. We can't… We can't help Malia. We can't help anyone."

Scott glances back at Nixie, and then nods for her to come over to Stiles. Moving to his side, Nixie asks, "What do you want me to do? I mean, I already showed him he's awake. What…" "Hold him. Just… hug him and hold him. Let him hold you. Like you always do."

So she goes down to the floor with Stiles. And as disparaging as he feels right now, he opens up his arms and draws her into him. Holding her close, sighing against her, he says, "Thanks. Sorry I keep needing you to…" "Don't you dare apologize, Stiles. You died. You sacrificed yourself for your dad. And all I did was stand there and watch. Least I can do is give you endless hugs."

He actually chuckles at her, and then laughs again when she says, "Bear in mind that, if you weren't already feeling so crummy, I would most definitely have slapped you in the back of the head just now. Because if we aren't the ones who can help Malia, then who the hell is?"

Hugging her tighter, he says, "I just meant that maybe, right now, we aren't up to snuff for this. I mean… we're not in much better shape than she is. It really feels like we can't do this." Nixie rolls her eyes, but then smiles when Scott says, "But we can try. We can always try."

And they both just grin when Nixie says, "And that is why he's the alpha. So… what exactly are we thinking we're going to do to try and change Malia back into a human? I assume we're going to try and figure out how to help Scott transform so he can force her to shift back using his alpha status. Any ideas beyond that?" Scott shrugs, but says with a smile, "But I'm sure you're already thinking of several." "Working on it, yes. Fear not, my dear alpha. We will be triumphant. And when we are, we will all have a movie night at your house. I think it's time to break out Clint Eastwood again."

And then Nixie laughs when Stiles says, "Um, no. If we're going to watch anything, we're watching Star Wars. And so help me, Scott, if you fall asleep during the movie." Scott raises his hands in surrender and says, "I won't. I swear."

Then Nixie and Scott jerk their heads at the same time, and Stiles asks, "What? What do you guys hear?" Nixie looks to Scott and says, "Shattering glass. Locker room next door?" He nods in confirmation, but as Nixie makes to join him, Scott says, "Stay with Stiles for now. If I need you, I'll holler. Okay?" "Fine. But if you need me and don't holler, I'm gonna kick your ass." "Love you too, Nix."

As Nixie helps Stiles to his feet, they both hear the exceptionally loud crash of lockers being knocked over. Looking at each other, Stiles then asks, "You calling dad, or should I?" "You go ahead. Scott's not yelling for me, so I'm assuming he's taking care of it. I'm gonna let Alison know what's happening. Sound good?" "Yep."

* * *

As Noah takes Stiles and Nixie around the corner, explaining to them where Malia went, he adds, "Thank God no one got hurt." Stiles jerks his head to look at his dad and asks, "Dad, what happens if she does hurt somebody?" Noah sighs, "Most likely they'll have to put it down."

Nixie snaps her head around so fast that Noah can't help but look at her. Eyes piercing, she says, "Over my own dead body. And stop calling her an 'it'." Stiles nods and says, "Her, dad. Put her down? Try not to forget that there's a girl in there. One that you'll be killing!" Nixie nods and says, "Which I'm pretty sure, even if she is a werewolf, will still constitute as murder."

Noah gives her a look, but then goes back to Stiles when his son asks, "You aren't back to not believing are you?" Sighing in a bit of aggravation, he answers, "You know what? I believe, that there are a lot of things about this that I still don't understand yet. Even with Nixie's help the past few weeks. But that doesn't suddenly mean that everything and anything imaginable is suddenly possible."

Looking between both of them, he asks, "Now, are you guys one-hundred percent sure, that this is a girl and not an animal?" And in unison, they both answer him, in an almost identically annoyed tone, "Yes!"

Noah looks between the two of them again, this time in a bit of awe. But when he still looks dubious, Stiles adds, "Because Scott's sure."

They glance down the hall to where he's standing, and then Stiles asks in a whisper, "Scott, you been listening?"

Scott makes one long nod with his head, to which Noah gives an impressed look, before he says, "Alright. Come on, let's go get this figured out." But as Nixie makes to go with them, Scott says softly from down the hall, "Nix, I need you with me."

She pauses instantly, making to go to him. But when Noah and Stiles both turn to see where she's going, Stiles says, "Nix. This way." "Scott says he needs me here. I'll see you guys later."

Noah stares at her for a moment as she walks away, and then looks to Stiles and says, "I didn't hear anything." Stiles just shrugs and says, "Yeah, I didn't either. But Nixie always hears this stuff." "But we're sure she's not supernatural?" "Of course not, dad. She never got bit by anybody. She just has really good ears. Now, come on."

When Nixie reaches Scott, she asks, "What's up?" He brings her with him to the locker room where Malia had been, and then points to where Kira is standing with her father. Nixie looks to Scott and says, "I don't follow. Use your words, Scott." He chuckles a little, but then says, "She was in here. Malia, for whatever reason, was chasing after her. Chased her in here. She was pretty shaken up. She's fine, but…"

Nixie is already moving towards her, a slight frown on her face. Kira was just telling her dad that she'd just wanted to bring the boys their bags that they'd left behind in class. She finishes with, "You do something nice, and you make friends. Or so I've heard."

Kira then looks up when Nixie moves in front of her. "Hi Nixie." Nixie nods to her, eyes looking over Kira for a moment. Then she meets Kira's gaze and asks, "You alright?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "You sure? Don't lie to me."

Kira blinks in surprise for a moment, but then nods and says, "I promise. I'm fine." Nixie nods to that, and then says, "Good. Where's your phone?" Kira pulls it out in confusion, handing it over to Nixie. She punches in a few things, and then hands it back and says, "Now you have my number. There is only one rule for all people who have my number. You are to call me. For anything. Literally, anything. And if you don't, I'm gonna be pissed."

Kira stares at her for a moment, but then nods and says, "Okay. Like, if I need help with a paper or something?" Nixie nods, and then shrugs and says, "Or with hiding a dead body. I cover a very wide spectrum of stuff that I'm to be called for. The list is still being added to, as we speak."

Laughing finally, Kira says, "Okay. Thanks." "Sure." And then Kira jumps when Nixie moves the rest of the way in and wraps Kira in a hug. Squeezing tight, Nixie says, "I'm glad you're okay."

Ken watches as his daughter, who had still been a little shaken and afraid, suddenly relaxes completely. Settling into the hug, she wraps her arms around Nixie in return and rests her head on Nixie's shoulder. Letting out a sigh, Kira says, "Thanks." "Of course."

Rubbing a hand up and down her back, Nixie smiles at her when Kira pulls back. Giving her shoulder a squeeze, Nixie says, "Remember. For anything. Or…" Kira smiles and says, "Or you'll be pissed." "Exactly."

Walking back over to where Scott and Stiles are, Nixie sees the doll Stiles has in his hand. Hurrying over, she asks, "You took the doll from the car? Why?" Stiles huffs and says, "I thought Scott could use it. I didn't know the coyote was gonna get so territorial over a doll. Geez."

And then Mr. Tate shows up, snatching the doll from Stiles while explaining that it belonged to his daughter. And when Noah tells him he has to leave, and they find a gun on him and begin escorting him out, Nixie lets out a huff and says, "Good thing no one is searching me very thoroughly. I'd probably be expelled the rest of the year if they actually knew everything I was carrying."

Scott grins at her, and then says, "Come on." "Where we going?" "To see Deaton. He has some stuff that might help us." "Sweet."

* * *

"Xylazine. It's a tranquilizer for horses. For a were-coyote, I expect it to work within seconds. Now, I only have three. So, whoever's shooting needs to be a damn good shot." Scott nods to Deaton's statement and says, "Alison's a perfect shot."

But Isaac points out, "She used to be." Scott reiterates, "She can do it." Then he looks over at Nixie and says, "When we do this, you stick with Alison. If something starts to happen, pull her out of it." Back to the others, he says, "She can do it." Isaac crosses his arms and says, "If we manage to find the thing."

Stiles gives him an annoyed look and asks, "Okay, what is the point of him? Seriously, I mean, what is his purpose? Aside from the persistent negativity and the scarf? I mean, what's up with the scarf anyway? It's sixty-five degrees out."

Isaac gives him a look, and then says, "Look, maybe I'm just asking the question no one here wants to ask. Alright? How do we turn a coyote back into a girl, when she hasn't been a girl, for eight years?"

Nixie turns to Isaac and says, "Firstly, I usually don't mind your more negative thoughts. It keeps us honest. But you need to tone it down, just a smidge." Isaac nods to her in apology. Then Nixie turns to face Scott, on the other side of the table, and says, "Secondly… Scott can do it."

Stiles looks between the two and asks, "He can?" Nixie nods, and then Scott explains, "You remember the night that Peter trapped us in the school? Well, in the gym, he was able to make me turn using just his voice. And Deucalion did the same thing in the distillery."

But now, Deaton, who Nixie has usually found to be more optimistic, or maybe just mysterious, cautions, "This is a were-coyote, Scott. Who knows if it'll even work if you can find someone who can teach you." Stiles leans back in realization and says, "That's why you had Nixie call Derek first." Scott nods, and then looks at Nixie hopefully. But she shakes her head and says, "Braeden hasn't gotten back to me yet. And even if she did have them already, they're in New Mexico. It would take them too long to get here to help at this point."

Scott nods, and then says, "I could try it on my own. But… right now, I'm too scared to even change into just a werewolf." Stiles runs a hand over his face and says, "We need a real alpha."

And Scott looks at him in offense for all of a second… until Nixie slaps Stiles in the back of the head. Then he grins and says, "Thanks." "Oh, sure thing."

Stiles rubs the back of his head and says, "Owe! Really? You know what I mean, guys. We need an alpha who can do alpha things. An alpha who can get it going. You know? Who can get it…" And Isaac finishes for him, "Up?" Stiles gestures to him in agreement, and then flinches back when Nixie looks like she might hit him again. Narrowing her eyes, she looks at both of them and says, "Both of you, be braced. I will be hitting both of you in the head, at some point, in the near future. You have been warned."

Meanwhile, Scott ponders those words, and then sighs, "Great. I'm an alpha with performance issues." Deaton asks, "Is there anyone else besides Derek who could help?" Isaac puts in, "I wouldn't trust Peter." And he grins when Nixie says, "No one trusts Peter. Pretty sure that's a fact of life at this point." Then she looks to Scott and asks, "What if I'm with you when you go to try and face her? Would that help?"

Scott shrugs and says, "Maybe. But I'm not sure about that. And I know you can help Alison keep a steady hand. You stick with her." Nixie nods, and then looks at Stiles when he asks, "Maybe the twins?" But Deaton, who had helped saved the twins the night they nearly died, informs them, "They're not alphas anymore. After what Jennifer did, almost killing them? It broke that part of them."

But Nixie, on track with Stiles now, says, "Okay, but they were alphas before, right? So, they should know how to do it." Scott sighs and says, "Nobody's seen them in weeks." Stiles looks to Nixie and asks, "Lydia hasn't seen Aiden?"

Nixie shakes her head. Lydia didn't hate Aiden. And now that he wasn't being a complete ass, even Nixie was okay with Aiden. But what they'd help do to Boyd… it wasn't something any of them could forget. And Lydia wasn't going back down that road. Not again.

Stiles nods, but then they all grin when Nixie pulls out her phone and says, "I can call Ethan though. He can meet us somewhere." Scott nods as she texts, but then says, "Actually, I have something else I need you to do tonight."

Sending the message, Nixie asks, "Sure. What is it?" "I need you to… sort of map out the woods. Not the whole thing, obviously. But you can travel through most of it on your bike pretty fast. I'm hoping you can maybe give us a starting point on where to go looking for Malia. Make it easier for Isaac and I to get a quick lock on her scent."

Nodding, Nixie says, "Sure. But, if Ethan or Aiden do anything to you that I don't think is necessary, I'm aborting this mission so I can come kick their asses. Agreed?" "Agreed."

* * *

It wasn't actually hard to pick a particular spot to start. The crash was still a point of origin for everything. Beyond that, given what Chris had taught her about tracking already, and what little they did know about Malia, Nixie had her job finished fairly quickly. She texted the coordinates for their starting point to Scott's phone so he'd have it, and then was about to head to the loft where she knew they were trying to teach Scott to roar.

That's when it happened. She felt the first brush against her heart like usual, letting her know Alison was having problems again.

Then she felt another. Scott, attempting and failing to be the alpha he was supposed to be right now.

And then another. For Stiles, it was a simple set of words this time that he couldn't read. Simple… and yet still terrifying for him.

One she could handle. It had been beginning to ache, but she could handle it. Two was trickier, but she'd handled that as well. It hurt, but it was bearable.

But three… she was fortunate to already be in a turn. Her bike slid out from under her as she lost control, skidding into a tree lightly. Not actually crashing, but certainly out of commission for the time being. Nixie went sliding with it a few feet, but stopped short of it.

Being electrified was not quite as bad as this. It was up there; that was for sure. But somehow, feeling as though your heart was being squeezed in a huge fist as hard as it could be, and that same hand trying to rip it out of your chest as slowly as possible…

It was excruciating. Nixie could hardy move. The scream she let out may have rivaled Lydia's, but she's not sure. She feels like she's in a tunnel, everything echoing around her at the moment. The world is spinning far too fast, the pain in her chest unimaginable.

Screaming again, attempting to roll onto her stomach and then crying out again at the pain, Nixie manages to pull out her phone with a trembling hand and arm. Dropping it on the ground, she presses and holds one of the numbers on her speed dial. She's not even sure which one. She just knows that right now, she can't be there for anybody. Someone has to come and get her.

It's damn annoying, and she'd be more annoyed, if she could stop crying and screaming for the pain in her chest. And when someone answers her on the phone, she doesn't even really hear who it was, or what they said. She can't even try to answer. She just screams, and screams, while the edges of her vision begin going black.

* * *

Alison and Isaac were in the study, preparing her dart gun with the Xylazine that Deaton had given them. Once Isaac began helping, everything started going a lot smoother.

That's when Chris threw open the door, slamming it into the other side, not even caring if it did damage to the wall on the other side. Charging in, he said, "The keys, Alison. Where are the keys to the truck?" She blinks, but then moves to find them while Chris gets on the phone. Then he looks to Isaac and asks, "Can you track Nixie?"

And now Isaac blinks as well, but nods right before Chris looks away to speak on the phone. "Deaton? Listen, I think you're right. I was gonna ask her about it after they got Malia, but it's too late. I'm going to find her now. I'll bring her to you."

As Alison gives her dad the keys, she asks, "What's going on?" "No time. Isaac, you're coming with me, right now. You've got Nixie's scent?" Isaac nods, "I've always got Nixie's scent. What's going…" "She's in trouble. Come on."

Alison follows as well, and as they race down to the truck, she asks, "What happened to her?! What's going on?! Who has her?!"

Hopping into the truck and peeling out, Chris glances at her in the backseat, and then says worriedly, "I'm sorry sweetheart. But… I think you do."

* * *

When Scott and Stiles burst into the clinic, they nearly take out the door on their way in. Lydia, Ethan, and even Aiden follow closely behind, but don't dare to try and move past the boys. As soon as Alison had called them to tell them what was happening, the two of them had shot like bats from hell out of the loft to get here. Hurrying into the back of the clinic, they freeze just inside the room, not really able to fully comprehend what they're seeing.

Nixie is laying there. Just laying there. Alison is helping hook her up to a monitor system, pressing the sensors onto her skin beneath her clothes. Tears are in her eyes as she looks down at her. Then she looks up at the boys and says sadly, "It's our fault."

Chris watches as Scott walks slowly into the room, moving to the edge of the table. Stiles, for his part, can't move.

He'd never seen Nixie so still. If not for the beeping of the nearby monitor, he'd think she was dead.

Scott puts a warm hand against the side of her neck, feeling a freezing chill rush through him when he touches her. Gasping slightly, he turns to the others and asks, "What happened?"

Alison tries, but can't actually explain. Instead she retreats into Isaac's arms, who wraps her in a comforting hug without taking his eyes off of Nixie. Chris steps up and says, "It's a side-effect… of being an emotional tether to three people who still have a door open in their mind."

Stiles and Scott snap their heads to look at him, and then Deaton comes up and says, "When this first started, Nixie admitted when I asked her about it, that she felt a brush against her heart, whenever one of you were feeling that pull of darkness that I warned you about. A brush, and nothing more."

Looking between all three, Deaton says, "I believe, that as your three conditions worsened, so did hers. The brush she felt would've become more like a pressure. Not so much a simple touch, but a push against her heart. Stiles steps in closer, looking down at Nixie. A tear leaving his eye, he asks, "Always? Like… every single time we've each had an episode?" Deaton nods and says, "In sync with each of you, so she would know you needed her."

Running a hand gently over her hair, Deaton says, "And as time has gone on like this, it's become more of a pain for her. Not that she would concede to that. I'm sure she considered it a small price to pay, so that she could be there for each of you."

Isaac looks up at him, and then asks, "Wait, you said pressure? You said pain?" Deaton nods, and Isaac sighs before adding, "I saw her in class one day, rubbing at her chest. She said she was fine, but I knew something was wrong. I just didn't know what?"

And Lydia gasps and adds, "She did it the night she stayed with me and Alison, after Alison almost shot me in the face. After she got off the phone with Stiles."

Scott closes his eyes and focuses. Hearing the monitor beep for her wasn't good enough for him. He waited until he heard her actual heart beating in her chest. Then he looked up at Deaton and asks, "What's wrong with her right now? Why… why isn't she waking up?"

Deaton puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "Being your emotional tether, for all of you… I knew it would take a small toll on her. Thing is… I don't think I could've guessed just how perfect for that position she would be. Because, based on this, it should be much worse for all three of you. And I think the only reason you three aren't in any worse shape right now, is because Nixie has been working so hard to try and keep you all sane."

Lydia nods to that, and when all eyes turn to her, she says, "She's… been running in circles trying to be wherever you guys needed her to be. She's hardly been sleeping. She even stopped finding time to make herself breakfast, and you guys know what a stickler she is about that."

Alison takes in a breath and says, "I… when we were still at the house, I saw Kate again. This happened right after that. It's… it's my fault." But Scott shakes his head and says, "No, I was having problems shifting again. She always comes to me then, when I start truly fearing my power. It's my fault." And then Stiles says, "Actually, I was having an issue then as well."

Chris looks between all of them, and then says, "Let me get this straight. All three of you had an episode, at the exact same time." They all look at each other, and then slowly nod. Deaton nods as well and says, "It must've been too much for her to handle. Not that I'm surprised. Most people would be hard pressed to be an emotional tether for one person, much less three."

Scott looks at him again and says, "This doesn't explain why she isn't waking up." Nodding, Deaton says, "Unfortunately, I think her waking up now, is going to be dependent on you three closing the door to your minds. The human body can only handle so much at once. When all three of you had an episode at the same time, Nixie's heart couldn't take all the pressure. Her still being asleep, for now, is what I believe is her body trying to preserve itself and prepare itself, should the same event happen again."

Squeezing Scott's shoulder, Deaton says, "If you want her to wake up, you're going to have to close those doors."

Silence reigns in the room for a moment, and then Scott stands up straight. Wiping at his own tear, he says, "Come on guys. We have to save Malia. And when Nixie wakes up, she's gonna be pissed if we didn't succeed in that. Let's go."

As they head out, Stiles asks him, "She's gonna wake up, right?" Scott nods, and then looks over when Isaac asks, "How do you know?"

And then they all smile when Lydia says, "Because we need her. And Nixie, to a fault, always makes sure she becomes what we need her to be."

* * *

It was when Scott let out his mighty, alpha roar, forcing Malia to change back into a human girl. That's when Nixie suddenly jerked back to life.

Head snapping to face straight up, eyes bursting open, and gasping for air, she reached one hand up for her chest instantly. But the pain was gone. And she didn't have any sense that her heart was going to be touched again in the same fashion.

Glancing around her, she tries to sit up, but then hands are gently on her shoulders, pushing her back down.

Deaton smiles gently at her and says, "Welcome back dear." Nixie stares up at him, and then asks, "What happened?" "You've been asleep for quite some time." "No. I mean, what happened? Where are they? Are they alright?"

He stares down at her for a moment in surprise, but then looks over at Chris, who chuckles and says, "Don't look so surprised Doc. She's always more worried about them." Coming up to the other side of the table, Chris says, "Judging from the fact that you're awake again, I'd say Alison and your boys finally closed the doors on their minds. And saved Malia."

Nixie blinks up at him, and then stays quiet for a moment while she ponders that.

And then Deaton and Chris look at each other and can't help but grin when Nixie asks, "Well shit. How long was I out? I missed the whole damn thing? Unacceptable. Someone should hit me in the back of the head. This is ridiculous. And stop trying to push me back down onto the table. Get me up already. I've apparently laid here long enough on my lazy ass."

* * *

As Noah slammed his office door shut behind Rafe McCall as the FBI left, he grins over at Nixie when she says, "And don't come back any time soon." "I don't think they heard you." "Want me to go out and check?" "No. Definitely not." "But…"

At Noah's stern look, she settles back into the comfy chair behind his desk and says, "Fine. But I feel fantastic."

After everyone finally got back from saving Malia, the clinic was once again bombarded by everyone. Deaton and Chris hadn't managed to keep Nixie laying down, but they had managed to keep her sitting on the table. She'd chugged two bottles of water before her friends got back to her, and once they got inside, she'd said, "Great, you're here. Can we go somewhere to eat? I'm starving."

Scott first demanded that she explain exactly what she'd felt every time one of them had an episode. Then he demanded to know why she hadn't told them how bad it was. But in truth, she hadn't seen it as necessary. Deaton had known about the brush on her heart. And yes, it had gotten more difficult to handle, more uncomfortable to deal with, and even a bit painful at times. But if she'd had any idea that what happened to her in the woods would've happened, she would've told somebody. Nothing she'd felt prior though, had prepared her for what she felt out there when all three of them had their episodes at the same time.

It took her a while to appease them, and then they took her to eat. To her annoyance, Scott carried her to the jeep, and Isaac carried her into Scott's house, where they sat her on the couch and refused to let her up.

She was only here at the station now, because everyone could see that if they tried to keep her completely away from everything any longer, she'd explode and possibly slap them all in the head… repeatedly… for days.

She still wasn't being allowed to stand for very long, hence her sitting in Noah's chair. Nixie really does feel fine though. In fact, she feels great. Better than she has since she became their emotional tether.

Noah comes over and squeezes her shoulder before saying, "Glad someone feels good." "What's that supposed to mean? What's wrong with you?" "Nothing Nixie. Don't worry yourself about it." "Too late. Consider me worried. Now spill it. No sense in me being worried without knowing what it is."

He chuckles at her, and then says, "It's just the impeachment. And my still feeble understanding of the supernatural. And, on top of that, I lost quite a few officers in the previous months. And quite a few have quit, not that I blame them. So, on top of possibly being impeached, I am having to conduct interviews for new officers on the force. And I… am just swamped. And I really don't want to make any poor choices with these new guys."

Smiling down at Nixie, he says, "It's just got me a little worried is all. Nothing for you to…" "I could help with the interviews." Blinking in surprise, Noah says, "Nix, you'd have to be on the force to conduct an interview here. And I love you to death, but I can't…" "No, no, no. Not like that. I just…"

Turning towards him, she sighs and says, "Stiles says my ability to read people, is like a sixth sense. If I have any kind of super power, it's that. It doesn't take much. Just a look really, and I can tell if I like somebody or not within about a minute or so."

Nixie shrugs and says, "So… I can just come see them. You can ask me to bring you coffee or something when you're giving the interview, and I can just come take a peek at the person. And then I can tell you if I like them or not. What you do with that information afterwards, is entirely up to you. But… I can at least give you an idea of the person you'll be getting if you hire them."

Noah ponders that for a while longer, and then smiles and says, "Alright. At this point, what could it hurt?" "Exactly!" He chuckles, and then asks, "You going home tonight?" "Yeah. I've abandoned my apartment for long enough. Gotta make sure mice haven't decided to move in while I've been absent." "And if they have?" "I have mouse traps. And I also have a wide variety of blades and knives at my disposal. They will wish they hadn't set foot in this county, much less my apartment, when I'm through with them."

And she bursts into laughter when Noah says, "Nixie, the rat slayer. Who knew?"

* * *

Chapter 2! Yay! Chapter 3 should follow in the near future. Given that my internet connection remains intact tonight and tomorrow. Fingers crossed! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 3: Episode 3x15

"Get your ass down here now. We have a job to do."

Scott grins over at Nixie, who is standing next to him in the hallway. They were already there, getting ready to meet Stiles in the locker room. But Stiles was very unaware of that.

Grinning back, Nixie asks, "Is he telling you we have a sworn duty to fulfill?" "Something like that." "Figures." Back into the phone, Scott says, "Dude, I'm already in bed. And aren't we getting a little old for this?"

"We do this for Coach!" Nixie laughs at Stiles exclamation, which she can hear over Scott's phone. Scott wrap an arm around her shoulders and shushes her while saying to Stiles, "I thought we did this _to_ Coach." Stiles huffs and says, "Whatever, okay? You know he needs this."

As Scott and Nixie round the next corner, heading for the locker rooms, Stiles continues, "He lives for this stuff, you know? He loves it." Right outside the doors, Scott says, "But it's the middle of the night." Nixie glances at her phone for the time, but then grins when Stiles says over the phone, "Twelve-fifteen actually. Which means it's after midnight, and officially Mischief Night/Day. And, by perfectly awesome coincidence, also Coach's birthday."

Scott pulls open the door for Nixie and nods for her to go first. Walking in behind her, they sneak up behind Stiles as he still says into the phone, "So if you are not down here in five seconds, I will destroy you. And then Nixie, if I have to call her and remind her as well. Okay? And I'm serious. I mean, literally, in five, four, three, two…"

He spins around to begin working out the plan to terrorize Coach, and then yelps, flails, and falls into his locker when he's met with Scott's glowing eyes, and Nixie leaning against the locker nearby. Scott grins and finishes for him, "One." Rolling his eyes, Stiles responds, "I hate you."

Nixie laughs at him, and then asks, "By the way, what's this I hear about you possibly destroying me? Did my ears deceive me? They must have. Surely you weren't threatening me with bodily harm." "It was figurative! Geez! And you're here, in any case, so there's no worries." She ponders that a moment, and then nods and reaches down a hand for him. Scott grabs his other, and then chuckles when Nixie says, "I suppose you have a point. Worth noting though that you could not even come close to kicking my ass."

Stiles rolls his eyes, but grins at her and says, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fully aware. You're a ninja. And you know something? One day, my nickname of 'compact ninja' is going to stick. What are you going to do then?" "Wear out my hand slapping people in the head."

Scott chuckles, and then says, "Alright, come on. What's the plan?" Stiles holds up his drill, but then says, "While I have a general idea, the details of it are still in question. Or… they will be until Nixie breaks it down for us. Nix?" She pulls out a folded sheet of paper from inside her jacket, and then unfolds it and holds it out for them to see. Inside, diagrammed beautifully, is Coach's office, and a careful layout of what they're going to do and how they're going to do it."

Stiles and Scott look it over for a moment, and then Scott looks up and asks, "How long did it take you to plan this?" "About a week to make this actuall plan. It took me a bit longer though to finally get into Coach's office so I could map the layout with enough detail to make the plan. But, rest assured, it is full proof. Well, assuming that Coach hasn't moved anything since I saw his office."

Stiles lets out a bark of laughter and says, "Yeah, that'll be the day. Alright, let's get to it."

While they're working on carefully and wickedly unscrewing and unbolting everything in Coach's office, Nixie's phone goes off. Stiles looks up from the bottom of the desk where he's working, and points and says, "I don't care what it is, you aren't leaving until we're finished." Raising an eyebrow, Nixie says, "Considering the fact that what we're doing is completely unimportant and unnecessary, I will leave if need be. It's not like you guys can't finish."

Stiles gives her a slightly offended look, but grins afterwards and asks, "Who is it?" Looking down at the text, Nixie frowns a little and says, "Scott's mom."

Scott looks up at that, and asks, "What's up?" Nixie reads a little bit more, since Melissa's text was rather long, but then says, "Apparently a convicted murderer is in the hospital. County filled themselves up with victims and bodies so they wouldn't have to operate on him, which means Beacon General has to." Reading further, Nixie says, "And he's freaky, is basically what your mom is telling me."

Texting back, Nixie asks, _"Are you alright?"_ She manages to unscrew a few other things from the wall before Melissa texts back with, _"Yes, for now. Just… seemed like something you would want to be informed about."_ Nixie smiles, and texts back, _"Exactly. Keep me posted. He does anything funny, I will come down there and do the operation myself. No anesthesia. He'll be in pain. It'll be great."_ _"Nixie, you don't know how to operate. You'd probably kill him."_

And from where she is in the hospital, Melissa can't help a chuckle when Nixie's response is simply, _"I fail to see what you find wrong with my plan."_

Back to Coach's office, they set everything up perfectly, with the special present box on the desk and all the screws and bolts inside. Nixie had wanted a be a bit more discreet with the bolts and screws, but Stiles assures her that Coach wouldn't figure it out until after he'd picked up the present box, so she agrees to set everything up through that. Then they carefully step out, making sure not to greatly disturb anything.

Walking back outside to head home, Stiles asks, "And we're sure no one else is going to go in there before Coach, right?" Nixie nods, and at their curious glances, she says, "Lydia told me she'd spread the word and handle it. I have complete confidence that Coach will be the only person opening that present. And what he finds inside will confuse, confound, and eventually terrorize him. If, when all is said and done, he doesn't scream in an octave to rival that of Opera singers, I will be sorely disappointed."

Scott chuckles while Stiles throws his head back laughing. Then they all say goodnight and head on home.

In her apartment, Nixie stares at her ceiling for a while as the night wanes on. She knows she'd be welcome to stay at either of the boys' houses. Heck, she could stay with Alison or Lydia, and it'd be fine too. But she'd imposed on them long enough, even if it was technically for their benefit most of the time, and it was time to actually start sleeping in her own home for a change.

It was funny though… how much like a home it didn't feel. It hadn't really felt homey before… but it was even less so now.

Shaking her head, Nixie sighs and says, "Just gotta get back into the swing of things. Everything is fine. It's all fine."

* * *

When Nixie pulled into the lot at school the next day, right next to Scott, he nods over to where the twins are parked, and asks, "What do you think?" She glances over at them, and then shrugs and says, "I'm feeling rather neutral towards them right now. Don't think I'll be much help in the 'determining whether we like them or not' department. Sorry." "Don't be. Besides, I'm the alpha. I should be able to make the decision without having to ask for your opinion."

But before he can move over to them to talk, Nixie moves in front of him. Gently placing a hand on his chest, she says, "Scott, you're a good alpha. A great one, even. And I know that you value our opinions and that's why you ask. But I do want to make sure you understand this. You are not weak, in any sense, because you ask for those opinions. We're your pack. We're here to stand beside you, fight with you, work with you, and to offer our opinions and ideas up to you so we can work out everything in the end, and save the world. Asking for the opinions of your pack before making a decision is wise. Just… keep that in mind."

Scott nods, and then kisses the top of her head before saying, "You always know what to say." "I know. It's part of my charm."

Chuckling, he walks over to Ethan and Aiden and asks, "You're back in school?" Ethan answers, "No. Just to talk." Nixie winces for them and says, "Strike one." And then Stiles moves up on her other side and says, "Oh! Wow, that's kind of a change of pace for you guys. Seeing as how usually you're just hurting, maiming, and killing."

Aiden gives Stiles a look, but upon seeing Nixie's eyes harden as she edged closer to Stiles protectively, he backed off a little and turned back to Scott. "Look, you need a pack. We need an alpha." Stiles immediately responds back with, "Yeah. Absolutely not. That's hilarious though."

But Ethan presses, "You came to us for help. We helped." And now Stiles gives him a look and says, "You beat his face into a bloody pulp. That's not helping. In my opinion, that's actually counter-productive."

But then all eyes turn to Nixie when she demands, "What?!" Stiles turns to her and asks, "What? What, what? What are you asking 'what' about?" "The part where they beat Scott's face into a bloody pulp. When the hell did that happen? And why did no one tell me?!"

Stiles frowns for a second, trying to recall why exactly she hadn't known about that particular fact. But then Scott says gently, "You were writhing in pain on the forest floor while that was happening. I think, in light of figuring that out, we just forgot to tell you."

Nixie turns to him, and then back to Stiles, and then back to Ethan and Aiden. She ponders that a moment more, and then nods and says, "Fine. But next time…" Scott grins a little and says, "You will be informed. Immediately." "Good."

Then, back to the twins, Scott asks, "Now, back to this matter. Why would I say yes?" Aiden jumps in with, "We'd add strength. We'd make you more powerful." Nixie tosses up her hands lightly and asks, "And what am I? Chopped liver? I'm right here." When Ethan and Aiden both look at her in confusion, Stiles says, "Oh, having Nixie in the pack is like having an ace up your sleeve. You two are like joker cards compared to her."

Aiden looks her over briefly, but then turns to Scott and says, "Even so… we'd still add more to what's already here. There's still no reason to say no."

But then Isaac joins them and adds, "I can think of one. Like the two of you holding Derek's claws while Kali impaled Boyd. In fact… I don't know why we're not impaling them right now."

Aiden growls, showing his fangs and eyes, and then asks, "You wanna try." Scott grabs onto Isaac as he makes to step forward, and then nudges Nixie's elbow. Aside from her sarcastic comments, she'd kept herself relatively in place and still for the confrontation. She glances at him for a moment, then between the two wolves who want to fight.

Both ease back immediately when she moves between them. Glaring at Aiden, she says sternly, "Back off from my boy. I can and will kick your ass." Then she turns to Isaac and says, "And you… really? In the school parking lot? Let's be at least a little smart about this. Alright? Love you to death, but geez."

Isaac grins at her, and as she makes to move back again, he catches her elbow and draws her closer to him. Shrugging, she stands at his side while Scott turns back to the twins and says, "Sorry, but they don't trust you. And neither do I." He prepares to walk off, but then pauses when Ethan asks, "She doesn't either?"

All eyes turn to Nixie, who jumps a little in surprise before asking, "What?" Scott smiles gently and asks, "Do you trust them?" "I already said…" "I know. You don't really know if you like them or not any more. But, trust is different. So, do you trust them?"

Nixie looks between the two twins for a moment, and then says, "I don't… not trust them. But I don't trust them either." Scott tilts his head and asks, "Why?" "Because I don't think they're evil, per-say, anymore. But they still have a lot to make up for. And as of yet, they haven't done anything worthy of being trusted." Looking over to the twins, Nixie says, "Trust is earned. And it's exceptionally harder to earn when you've done all the things that you two did to us. So, you wanna be trusted… you're gonna have to work a lot harder at it."

Back to Scott, she shrugs and says, "Bout sums up my opinion. Now, can we please go inside? Because I'm gonna be pissed if I miss the look on Coach's face when he opens his present." As they walk past the twins, Isaac asks, "What did you guys do go Coach?" "Oh, Isaac. Just wait, listen, and see. It's a doozy." He chuckles and then wraps an arm around her shoulders before saying, "Thanks." "For what?" "For not letting me rip them apart in the parking lot. You're right. Poor planning." "Yeah, well, that's what I'm here for." "So… if I was determined, ever, to kill them?"

And he laughs when she says, "I have a lovely spot picked out in the woods where we can dig two, six-foot deep holes. And I'm pretty sure the gas station is having a discount on their bleach right now. Just say the word. I can have a full-proof plan ready in ten minutes. Fifteen tops. Why are you still laughing? I'm serious about this."

As they head for the doors, Stiles turns back and says, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a part of what makes it so funny Nixie. We're very aware that you're serious." He shoves open one of the doors, and is then nearly hit in the face with a roll of toilet-paper. Nixie's hand bats it away in the nick of time, to which he says, "Nice deflection." "Thank you."

Then he turns to Scott and says, "And you, good job, buddy. Nice decision. Good alpha decision." Scott sighs and says, "I hope so." "No, you know so." As Stiles starts switching out his books, pausing when Nixie reminds him that he's grabbing the wrong one, he then catches Scott looking past them, to where Kira is standing at her locker. Back to Scott, Stiles asks, "What are you looking at?"

Scott blinks and asks, "Me?" "Yeah, you. You looking at her?" And even though he's a little embarrassed, Scott chuckles when Nixie asks, "Are you really just noticing that, Stiles? I had that figured, like, a whole minute ago. Catch up, please." "Okay, you know what? Sarcasm, not appreciated." "You shouldn't have taught me so well then." "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Scott looks at Kira again, so Stiles asks, "You like her?" "No."

Nixie raises an eyebrow at Scott's immediate answer, and then grins when he backtracks and says, "I mean… yeah, I… I kind of like her. She's okay. She's new." Stiles nods and says, "So ask her out." "Now?"

Rolling her eyes, Nixie says, "No, next week, dumbass. Yes, now." Scott gives her a look, but then asks, "Like… right now?" Stiles nods affirmatively, and when Scott still seems a little awed by the idea, Stiles explains, "Scott, I don't think you get it yet. You're an alpha. Okay? You're the apex predator. Everyone wants you! You know? You're like… you're like… Nix, help me out. He's like…"

Nixie ponders a moment, and then shrugs and says, "You're like the hot girl that every guy wants." Scott tilts his head and asks, "The hot girl?"

As Isaac finds them again, coming up beside Nixie, he pauses to hear the rest of the conversation. And he's very confused when Stiles says, "Yes, exactly! You, Scott, are the hottest girl."

As Stiles walks away ahead of them, Isaac looks between Scott and Nixie and asks, "What?" But Scott, realization dawning on him, simply says, "I'm the hot girl." Isaac looks to Nixie for a moment, but when she just nods affirmatively, he turns back to Scott and simply says, "Yes, you are." Nixie grins at him, and then says to Scott, "I mean, we're talking 'smoking' here Scott. Might need a bucket of water at some point."

He laughs at both of them, and then leads the way to Econ, where everyone will be waiting to hear Coach's reaction to what took place in his office last night. True to form, Lydia had told everyone that needed to know, not to go near Coach's office before he could get there. And if that wasn't enough, Lydia stressed that Nixie's plan would be ruined if they did.

And… well, after that, no one dared to think about going near his office.

And the resulting shout of, "SON OF A BITCH!" Oh yeah. It was completely worth it. Scott and Stiles turn to each other, huge grins on their faces. Then they turn back to Nixie, and they offer up high-fives all around before Coach comes back into the room.

While he's talking, telling them that they're all evil, Nixie hears Danny, from a couple of rows back, ask, "What are you doing?" And then Lydia, who was apparently asked the question, responds, "There's a fly."

Nixie turns to see her, swatting at… well, at nothing. Frowning and leaning over towards her, Nixie asks, "What are you hearing?" But as Lydia pauses, realizing there isn't actually a fly, she looks up at the ceiling above her, the sound in her ears becoming louder by the second. Shrugging, Lydia says, "Flies. Just… I just… hear flies." She looks to Nixie worriedly, but Nixie shrugs and says, "Don't stress. This is why you tell me these things. Now, you are not allowed to leave my sight the remainder of the day. Or, you know… you have to be in someone's sight, all day. Without fail. Ever. Until we figure out why you're hearing flies."

Lydia grins a little and asks, "Oh, is that all?" "Yep. Of course, if we did it my way, you'd be under stricter surveillance. But alas, we have classes to attend, so I can't actually enforce that. Unless someone is willing to skip all their classes."

Stiles turns back in his seat, obviously volunteering himself for the assignment. But he slumps in defeat when Nixie doesn't even let him speak before she says, "And no, you aren't skipping your classes. We're saving the whole, 'skip classes' scenario, for when shit hits the fan. And not before."

* * *

When Nixie got the text from Melissa, telling her that not only had William Barrow escaped, but that he was close to the school, Nixie instantly sent a mass text to the entire pack. And then she sprinted through the entire school immediately after that, trying to find all of them.

Lydia was telling Aiden that there was no way in hell they were getting back together. That maybe, they could be friends, but that was it. That's when Nixie came barreling around the corner. Lydia's eyes shot wide open as she said, "Oh, no."

Aiden turned to look at her too, and then leaned back in a bit of fear when Nixie made a beeline right for them. But Nixie just took hold of Lydia's arm for a moment, as though needing confirmation that Lydia was there in front of her.

Nodding to herself, Nixie says, "Okay. I need eyes on you." Then she snapped her gaze to Aiden, who jumped in surprise from the sudden attention of the sharp blue gaze. But he blinked in even more surprise when Nixie pointed at him and said, "You, watch her." Lydia gapes at her, and as she makes to leave, Lydia snatches her wrist and says, "Nixie! What's going on?" "Read the text Lydia. Can't talk. I've gotta make sure I know where everyone is."

Then she looks to Aiden again, and says, "And you… watch her. And I mean, like a freaking hawk. Got me?" Aiden nods, and then watches her sprint away while Lydia pulls out her phone to read the message. Then Lydia looks up when Aiden asks, "So, she trusts me to watch you, but she doesn't trust me to join the pack? I don't get it." Then he looks to Lydia when she says, "She knows you don't want anything bad to happen to me. And as for the trust thing… consider this a test. If you wanna pass, do what she said."

When Nixie finds Stiles, he's trailing his father down the hallway, trying to get more information on what is going on. Sprinting after him, blowing past a few of the officers that were following, she hears Noah say, "A little closer than nearby, actually."

And as Rafe McCall moves past them, demanding to know where every single entrance and exit is in this school, Nixie says worriedly, "Not good. Definitely not good. Noah, are we on lockdown?" He nods to her, and doesn't argue or call her out on her language when Nixie says, "Shit."

Stiles puts an arm around her shoulders, and then asks, "Dad, what's really going on here?"

And after Noah explains exactly what Melissa had told him about what Barrow had said, about how he blew up all those kids because their eyes glowed… Nixie snapped her head around and asks, "Where's Scott?" Stiles grabs her by the elbow and says, "Come on. Pretty sure he's this way. Dad, don't worry. We'll be fine."

* * *

After Stiles and Nixie explain what's going on, Isaac asks, "Barrow went after kids with glowing eyes? He said those exact words?" Stiles nods, "Yeah. And no one knows how he woke up from anesthesia. Just that, when they opened him up, they found a tumor full of live flies. Which, in any other circumstance, would be all kinds of awesome."

Nixie pauses in her walk at the same time Lydia did. She'd been so focused on the fact that Barrow was possibly here, with them, endangering all of her friends… that she'd temporarily forgotten Lydia's moment earlier where she'd heard flies. Turning to look at her, she catches Lydia's eyes, and then says, "Yep. Things just keep getting worse."

Stiles turns back to them, along with Isaac and Alison, and asks, "What? What are you talking about?" Nixie sighs and says, "Lydia heard something again. Like she does sometimes. And this time, she heard something that sounded like flies." And Lydia edits, "Exactly like the sound of flies."

They all pause for a moment, and then Nixie turns to Stiles and says, "We need to find Scott. So, I'm going to take a few laps around the halls until I find him. You three should do the same. And one of you three…" She points to Stiles, Isaac, and Alison, and then points to Lydia while saying, "Keep an eye on her. At all times. Hawk eyes. Understand?" They all nod, and as Nixie walks away, she gives Lydia's shoulder a squeeze and says, "Just breathe and smooth it out Lydia. Don't overthink it."

When she finds Scott, at almost the same moment Stiles does, Nixie sighs and says, "Hey! I've texted you, like, a million times. Where the hell have you been?" Stiles points to her and says, "Exactly!"

Scott blinks and then glances down at his phone. But while he's doing that, Nixie glances into the room he was standing next to, and sees Kira sitting inside with her father. Back to Scott, she gestures towards the classroom and asks, "Really?" He shrugs a bit sheepishly, but then snaps his gaze to Lydia when she arrives and says, "The police are leaving. Why are they leaving?"

Turning to Nixie, Scott asks, "The police?" "And this, my dear Scott, is why we don't ignore my text messages. Ever. You'd know all of this if you'd read them." Stiles nods, and then turns to Lydia and answers her question, "They must've cleared the building and grounds, which means he's not here."

Scott, still reading, asks aloud, "Who? Who are you guys…" But Lydia, desperate right now, cuts him off and says, "He has to be here." Nixie and Stiles both direct their attention to her, and Lydia sighs in aggravation before turning to Nixie and saying, "That sound? The one I've been hearing? It's getting louder." Stiles asks, "How loud?" "I can barely hear myself think!"

As she reaches up to run a hand through her hair, clutching at it in her aggravation, she then sighs in relief when Nixie takes her into her arms and hugs her tightly. Smoothing a hand up Lydia's back, Nixie says, "Just breathe. We'll figure this out. Alright?"

Looking over at Stiles, Nixie says, "Find your dad. Try to convince him to stay. Lydia, go with him. See if you can help. And Stiles… do not leave her side." Stiles nods to confirm he won't; not that Nixie actually thought there was a chance of that. Then she turns to Scott and says, "Call your mom."

He looks up from finally reading her messages, and asks, "What? Why?" "Because she can give us access to Barrow's scent. Ask her to bring his scrubs or something over here. If Lydia's right, and she probably is, then we need to find Barrow, and we need to find him now." So Scott gets on the phone with his mom. Nixie then looks back into the classroom where Kira and her dad are sitting.

Ken has just finished telling his daughter that someone will take an interest in her, so Kira says, "I don't want a boyfriend, or to date. I just… wanna make a few friends." And Ken is about to comment again, when Nixie walks in and asks, "And what am I? Chopped liver?"

Kira looks up and then smiles and says, "Hey Nixie." "Hey. How'd the English paper go?" "Great, actually. I got an A." Ken gives his daughter an impressed smile, and then grins when Kira laughs as Nixie says, "I don't like how you say 'great, actually'. As though you expected a different outcome from my reading your paper. I'll have you know, when it comes to proofreading other peoples' papers, I'm something of an expert. Just ask Stiles next time you see him. I've saved him from so many Cs, it's not even funny anymore."

Nodding, Kira says, "Sorry." Nixie shrugs, moving to the desk next to her. Sitting on top of it, she says, "You're still new. You'll get used to me eventually." Then she turns to Ken, gestures to herself sitting on the desk, and asks, "Also, this isn't a problem is it?" He smiles and says, "So long as you don't sit that during class." "Noted." Back to Kira, Nixie says, "I like your dad. Ken's easy to work with."

Ken chuckles, and then says, "I am going to have to insist on being called Mr. Yukimara." "Oh, my dear Ken. I'm afraid we are going to have a problem there." At his confused expression, Nixie turns to him and explains, "During class, you are obviously to be addressed as Mr. Yukimara. As a teacher, that's how you're to be addressed. I got that. But at all other times… well, I don't address anybody that I actually like by their last name. Just ask Stiles' dad, the sheriff. I never call him Mr. Stilinski. Heck, I never just call him, sheriff. I call him Noah."

Kira raises an eyebrow and asks, "Why?" "I'm not really sure. Just seems so impersonal, I guess. Calling somebody I care about by their last name. Doesn't feel right." Back to Ken, who is chuckling once more, Nixie says, "Don't worry, you'll get used to me too. Now that I'm Kira's friend, you don't really have a choice."

While the other two laugh again, Nixie tilts her head when she hears Scott ask from the hall, "Nix, can you hear me?" She nods slightly, and hears him ask, "Can you… can you stay with her? I know you probably want to go find Lydia. But if Stiles is with her, she should be fine. And if Barrow really is here…" Nixie glances back at the door, nods again, and then whispers, "Don't worry Scott. I've got this." "Thanks Nix."

Back to Kira, she asks, "So… any new papers you might need me to look over?" "Not right now. I would like to repay you though." "Don't be ridiculous. You're a friend. My services are therefore a given. No payment is accepted. Well, unless you count Reeses and hugs. Those I accept." Nodding, Kira stands up to do just that. And as Nixie hugs her in return, Kira relaxes into it and sighs in relief. She's not even sure why she feels relief. She hadn't been worried about anything in particular at the moment. But she feels so much of her stress just melt away, and so she stays there and basks in it a little more.

They're still sitting there, talking about nothing and everything. Ken is commenting that his class appears to be the only one Nixie has any trouble with at all, when the fire alarm suddenly goes off.

Ken is surprised to say the least. Not necessarily by the alarm, but by Nixie's instant transformation. Gone was the grin and laid back air. Now her eyes were alert, and she was on her feet, braced for whatever new danger was on the way. Her hand was on Kira's arm, pulling her gently out of the seat and towards the front of the room. Gently… but firmly as well. Then Nixie motioned for Ken to hurry up as well, while saying, "Come on. We gotta go. Everybody out."

As Ken motions for her to exit the room first, Nixie shoves him forward while simply saying in response, "You'll get used to me. I promise. For now, just get moving."

Once outside, while they're waiting to see if the threat was real or not, Nixie spots Coach dragging Stiles out the doors by his ear. Sighing, Nixie gives Kira's shoulder a squeeze and says, "I gotta go see what Stiles has done now. See you later Kira." "See ya."

When she arrives, Coach is saying, "If I was four years younger, I'd punch you!" And then he jumps and turns to Nixie when she says, "Well, I guess it's a good thing you're not younger, Coach. Because then, I'd have to seriously harm you in return for harming my boy." He stares for a moment, and then asks with flailing arms, "Where did you even come from?!" Raising an eyebrow, Nixie says, "Out of thin air. I'm getting really good at it too."

He rolls his eyes and walks away, trying to determine in his head how much detention he can give Stiles without pissing Nixie off too much. Nixie then turns back to Stiles and Lydia and asks, "What did you do?" "I pulled the fire alarm." "Why?"

He and Lydia explain how all of the werewolves, all the ones with glowing eyes, had been heading for the boiler room. A place where Barrow, with his electrician's training, could turn the whole room into a bomb that would blow up the entire school. After that, Nixie nods and says, "Good job. But how did Coach find you?"

Stiles blinks, and then says, "Uh… I was… kind of still holding down the alarm when he came to see it." Nixie gives him a look and says, "Stiles, it's not a thing that has to be continuously pulled down. You pull it once, it starts going off, and you run the hell away. Why did this not cross your mind?" "Well, I can't think of everything!"

Nixie rolls her eyes and says, "Geez. Lydia, you okay?" "Yeah. But we need to find the others." Stiles then points and says, "Over there, I see them."

As they meet up with Scott, the twins, and Isaac, Aiden says, "We didn't find anything." Scott nods and confirms, "Not even a scent." Frowning, Stiles says, "Alright, it's three o'clock, so school's over. If there was a bomb, wouldn't he have set it off by now?"

He turns to Nixie to see if she agrees. Sighing, she says, "I mean, it wouldn't make any sense to set it off later. While inside, the werewolves would all be obliterated. They wouldn't be able to heal themselves. But outside, given enough of a radius from the blast, they would end up fine. And if Barrow is really after kids with glowing eyes, then he wouldn't risk failing like that."

Upon hearing that, Ethan asks, "So, does that mean everybody's safe?" This question is directed at Lydia. She looks around at them, and then says, "I don't know. I just… I don't know." She looks to Nixie and says, "I was… I was positive… I was so sure…" Nixie nods and says, "And I believe you. I still do." Back to the others, she says, "No one, and I repeat, no one goes anywhere alone tonight. Understand? Twins, stay together. Scott, you're with me. Isaac, go find Alison and stay with her. Stiles, you're with Lydia. And everyone, for the love of God, do not stop trying to figure out what the hell Barrow might be up to. So long as he's still out, all of you glowy-eyed wolves are still in danger. So finding him is top priority."

Everyone nods that they'll listen and do as she said. Then, as Scott and Nixie begin walking towards their bikes, Ken shouts from nearby, "Ms. Haven."

Nixie pauses and turns around, and as Ken approaches them, he says, "Ah, and Mr. McCall. How are you both?" Scott shrugs and says, "Can't complain really." Nixie nods and then asks, "What's up Ken? You need something?"

It's not lost on Ken that, when she calls him by his first name, Scott's head whips around to look at her. It truly was significant, that she never called the people she liked, the people she cared about and let inside her circle, by their last name. Upon that note, Ken says, "Nixie, I was wondering… actually, both of you. I was wondering if you already had plans for dinner?"

Nixie shrugs and says, "I never have a plan. Just kind of see what works out. Scott? You?" Scott shakes his head, "No. Mom's working late tonight, even after everything. And dad…" He doesn't elaborate on that, but Nixie nods in understanding. Being at home, alone, with his father was not one of Scott's highest priorities or desires right now.

Ken smiles and says, "Excellent. Or, I mean… if you would both like, I'd appreciate it very much if you would accompany my family and I for dinner." Nixie and Scott look at each other, and Nixie shrugs and says, "I'm game. I do have a question though. You guys don't have a rule where, all cell phones and things have to be turned off while we're eating, do you?"

He raises an eyebrow, but shakes his head and says, "No, nothing like that. Why?" Scott just grins and puts an arm around her shoulders while answering, "Nixie's kind of our constant lifeline around here. She's always on call. It could be three in the morning, and she'd answer the phone as though she weren't even asleep. Her phone's never off… unless it's dead, which is a rare occurrence in itself." Nixie nods and says, "Yep. And on my next birthday, that won't ever come close to happening again."

Ken looks between them in confusion, so Scott explains, "I promised to get this special charger for her phone that connects to her bike. After that, she'll be able to charge anywhere." Nixie nods, and then Ken chuckles and says, "Very good. So, may I expect both of you?" They both nod, though Scott does ask, "Why though, if you don't mind my asking, are you inviting us to dinner?"

He points to Scott and says, "You, for saving my daughter from the coyote." Then he points to Nixie and says, "And you, for making sure she calmed down after the whole experience. You have an incredible talent of making people feel at ease around you." Scott grins at that too and says, "Yeah, we're kind of partial to her."

And then they both laugh when Nixie says, "Partial? What's this about partial? If I didn't know any better, I'd be offended. Highly offended."

* * *

As Stiles continues setting up his wall of clues and facts, Lydia asks from his bed, "What do the different colored strings mean?" "Oh, just different stages of the investigation. You know? Like, green is solved. Yellow is to be determined. Blue is just… well, it's Nixie's favorite color, and it's pretty, so…"

Lydia nods and asks, "What does red mean?" "Uh… unsolved." "You only have red on the board." "Yes, I'm aware. Thank you." Sighing in disappointment, even if Stiles didn't really give her an annoyed look, Lydia then asks, "Did you get detention for pulling the alarm?"

Stiles nods, though he chuckles and says, "Yep. Every day this week. Although, I guess I could've shortened it if I'd really wanted to. Coach took extra care, making sure he asked me if Nixie would be pissed when she found out I was being given detention the rest of the week. But I told him I'd talk to her and it would be alright. Besides, it's basically my fault I got caught anyway. Nixie was right, should've just run away after I pulled it."

Back to his board, he adds, "It's okay, in any case. We were onto something, so…" He's nodding to himself assuredly, but pauses when Lydia asks in a defeated tone, "Even though we couldn't find any proof of Barrow being there?" Turning back to her, seeing the unsure and dismal expression on her face, he comes back to her. Bending down to her level, he fiddles with the string she's wrapped around her finger, and says, "Hey, Lydia. You've been right, every time something like this has happened, okay? And Nixie… Nixie still believes you. Okay? She knows you felt something. And if she weren't so worried about all of us and sticking with us and trying to make sure everyone is accounted for, she wouldn't have left the school until she found it. Alright? So don't start doubting yourself now."

But Lydia shakes her head slightly and says, "No scent. No bomb. And I got you in trouble. That's all I…" "Hey, hey. Okay, look. Barrow was there, alright? You knew it. You felt it. And Nixie knew it too. I could see it in her eyes. And if you wanted to, I'd go back to school right now, and search all night just to prove it." Lydia smiles at him and asks, "Really?" "Yeah. Might call Nixie first to let her know what we're doing. She'd have a fit if we didn't. But yeah. I totally would."

He grins at Lydia's smile. She always had such a beautiful smile when it was genuine. Then he opened the marker he was using. Right under his nose, he got a strong whiff of the chemicals that made up the ink in the marker, masking the scent of the perfume that Lydia always wore.

A masking scent. Lydia watches as the gears begin spinning in overdrive in Stiles' head. Sitting up straighter, she asks, "What? What is it?" "Get up. Get up now. We're going to the school." "Why?"

Turning back from his doorway, helping her with her bag, he says, "Because I think I know why Scott and the others couldn't find Barrow. We're going to see if I'm right." And as they make their way down the stairs and out to his jeep, Stiles says, "Oh, and text Nixie what we're going to do, please." "You think she needs to know?" Cranking the engine, Stiles answers, "I think she'll want to know, which is enough for me."

* * *

At the table, eating sushi with Kira's family, Nixie glances down at her phone to see Lydia's text, saying she and Stiles are heading back to the school. Frowning, she looks up when she hears Scott ask, "So you guys moved here from New York?" Mrs. Yukimara, who Ken informed Nixie could be called Noshiko, says, "I have family ties here. Several generations." Scott nods and asks, "Yukimara is Japanese, right?"

Ken nods, "Yes. But I'm actually Korean. When my wife and I married, I took her name, as she was the only surviving member of her family." Scott smiles in surprise and asks, "You didn't want to take both names?" Noshiko answers, "We were married in Japan, where the law says that the couple must share the same name. To belong to the same koseki."

At Scott's confused look, Noshiko is surprised when instead of asking them, he turns to Nixie and asks, "Koseki?" Nixie nods and says, "Simply put, family registration." Scott nods in understanding while Ken smiles and says, "Very good Nixie. Yes, that's right. My wife' lineage is quite unique. I was actually going to discuss it in class."

Kira's smile falls a bit as she pleads, "Please don't." Noshiko turns to her and says, "Kira. You should be proud of your heritage." Ken nods and says, "It was a profound honor to join your mother's family." Noshiko then looks to Nixie and asks, "What do you think Nixie? About a person's heritage and the pride they take in it?"

She looks up from her plate, and then sets down her chopsticks and says, "I think… that everyone should find a way to proud of where they've come from in some fashion." Ken folds his hands together and asks, "What do you mean?" "I mean, from the sounds of it, Kira comes from a unique and noble heritage. A place from which a lot of honor and pride can be deemed if one looks. Others, those whose lineage is not filled with such noble hearts, should be proud of who they've managed to become in spite of their heritage. Take pride in those that are worth being proud of. Pity those who could not rise to the occasion, as you yourself hope to."

Silence meets her response, though Scott's grin tells them that he wasn't really surprised by her answer. They continue eating for a bit, Noshiko watching Nixie a bit more closely now. Whereas Scott couldn't really use chopsticks to save his life, Nixie seemed to handle them with ease. Finishing her current bite, Noshiko asks, "Nixie, it seems you've certainly eaten sushi before. What do you think of my husband's meal?"

Nixie nods and says, "It's wonderful. All the sushi I've ever eaten was usually takeout or from a box in a store. And at the time, I thought it was pretty good." She points a stick at Ken and adds, "But, I do believe you've ruined me sir, for all other sushi products from here on out." Ken chuckles and says, "Well, you are welcome back any time." "Much appreciated."

Noshiko smiles, but then asks, "I would've thought your mother and father had taken you to a professional restaurant at some point, seeing how you handle the chopsticks."

Nixie's entire frame freezes, and Ken and Noshiko watch as Scott immediately tenses and puts a hand on her back in comfort. In fact, he almost looked angry, until Nixie gently reached over to pat his knee. Smiling at him and nodding that she was fine, she turned back to Kira's parents. Sighing, she says, "My… my parents are a complicated story. My father died long before I could've ever remembered him. And my mother…"

Her hands tighten slightly on the table, but she still manages a smile when she says, "My mother… is a complicated woman. I rarely see her." Ken frowns and asks, "Then, who stays with you at home?" "Oh, the grounds keeper of the complex we live in is technically my guardian."

She grins and bumps Scott's shoulder while saying, "But these guys are the ones who do the most in taking care of me." Scott laughs and says, "Yeah, right." When he sees Noshiko and Ken's confused looks, Scott explains, "Nixie takes care of us. And I mean… in every way."

Nixie shakes her head and says, "Don't over-exaggerate and eat your sushi." "I'm not over-exaggerating, it's true." Turning back to Kira's parents, he says, "There's no better friend to have. She'd do anything for us." They both nod, and then Noshiko says, "Then I'm glad Kira can call you her friend." Nixie nods at that, and then smirks when Ken says, "And we'll do our best not to lose you."

Scott laughs outright, so Nixie explains, "Yeah, about that. I'm hard to get rid of. For lack of a better description, I'm like a leech. I latch on and don't let go." Turning to Kira, Nixie says, "Just try and get rid of me. I dare you. We'll see how well that works out." Kira laughs and says, "I wouldn't dream of it." "Good."

Scott slips some more food in his mouth, and then a few seconds later, begins nearly choking. Kira looks down at his plate and asks, "Scott, what happened to your wasabi?" He glances at her, and then says, "I thought it was guacamole."

Everyone quickly hurries to pour him some tea to help cool his throat. And it helps, but when he still feels too hot, he simply takes Nixie's hand from next to him and places it against his throat. Sighing in relief, he says, "Thanks." "Sure Scott."

Ken raises an eyebrow, to which Nixie shrugs and says, "I run cold. I'm quirky that way."

Then her phone goes off again, and she looks down to see Lydia saying, _"We're here. It's spooky at night. Would it be too much to ask you to join us? I know you're with Scott, but…"_ Nixie sends back immediately, _"On my way."_

Looking to Scott, she holds up her phone in explanation and says, "Lydia." He nods, and then Nixie turns to the Yukimara's and says, "I'm sorry, but something's come up. I have to leave. And I do hate to leave early. This was wonderful Ken. Thanks for having me." "Of course." Nixie nods to Noshiko, and then gives Scott a hug good-bye.

Kira is surprised when Nixie then moves over to her. Hugging Kira tight, Nixie says, "I'll see you later Kira. Remember. I'm on call for anything, at all times. Never hesitate." "I won't. Promise." "Good."

Outside at her bike, she whispers, "Now, if I get there and Barrow is still there and he somehow has you two as hostages, I'm going to be pissed. Exceptionally pissed."

* * *

As Stiles and Lydia begin searching the room, trying to figure out who Barrow was at the school to kill, Lydia begins walking up to the chalk board. Stiles stands up straight to look at her and asks, "Lydia, what are those on the board?"

He then jerks around and yelps when Nixie says from behind him, "Atomic numbers." "Geez! Nixie, you gave me a heart attack!" Raising an eyebrow, Nixie says, "Nice to see you again too. What'd you find?" He quickly explains how Barrow was hiding in the chemical closet, where the wolves wouldn't have been able to catch his scent, because it would've been masked by the scent of the chemicals.

Nodding, Nixie joins him in walking up to Lydia while asking, "What are you thinking Lydia?" "I'm not sure." Stiles looks over the numbers on the board and asks, "Is it a formula?" Lydia shakes her head and says, "Not really. Nineteen's potassium, fifty-three's iodine, and eighty-eight's radium. And the first two make potassium iodide… but I'm not sure what radium would be doing here."

Nixie nods and says, "Don't make much sense in the world of science. But, in our world of all things supernatural and strange…" They all three glance at each other, and Stiles nods and says, "Alright. So let's figure out what they are supposed to mean to us." Lydia nods and picks up a piece of chalk to right down the letters associated with each atomic number, just in case it might help.

Stiles tilts his head when she writes the first one and asks, "Potassium is K?" Lydia nods, "For kalium… the scientific neo-Latin name." As Lydia writes down the letter I, for iodine, Nixie immediately takes a step back from the board. She already knows what the letters for radium are. Stiles watches the terror enter her eyes as he asks, "What's radium?" Lydia write down Ra, and then gasps and says, "Oh my God." Stiles says, "Kira."

Turning to Nixie, he finds her already half way across the room towards the door. Sprinting after her, grabbing Lydia so she comes along, Stiles shouts, "Nixie, wait!" "I can't! I was just there, I have to get back!" "Nixie, hold on a second!"

She pauses at her bike and asks, "What?" "What if Barrow shows up? What are you gonna do?" "Catch him. Hurt him. Kill him if necessary." "Nixie, we need to think. What if he already has her?" Nixie sighs and says, "Stiles, what if he doesn't? Look, I get it. He probably does at this point. But until I have that confirmed, I am going to see if she's still home. Now, you two, follow me. Think while you're on the way. And for God's sake, keep up with me."

* * *

When Nixie pulls up in front of the house, bike roaring, she screeches to a halt beside where Scott is lying on the ground, blood leaking towards his forehead from where he'd been hit in the back of the head. Judging from the wound, probably with a lead pipe.

Hopping off her bike and bending down with him, she says, "Shit. Scott. Scott, wake up. Wake up right now. Damn it, come on!" Stiles pulls up just a few seconds behind her and races down to Scott's other side, helping Nixie shake him awake.

His eyes are slow to open at first, but once he finally starts, he quickly comes to his senses. Sitting up, he exclaims, "Barrow… he took Kira!" Stiles nods and says, "We know. He was after her the whole time apparently." While Stiles helps Scott back to his feet, Nixie breaks out her phone and calls Isaac. "Yeah Nix? What's up?" "Really important. I need to know what you and Alison have found. Anything that might tell us where Barrow would be going at this point. Anything."

She hears him shuffling through papers, but he says, "No, we don't have anything here on that yet. Just stuff about flies and the dead. Nothing else." Gritting her teeth, Nixie says, "Alright, thanks Isaac." "Nix, what's going on?" "I'll explain later, I promise. Keep looking." "On it."

Turning back to the others, she nods in agreement when Scott says, "We have to think of something. He's going to kill her. Nixie? Anything?" "No, Isaac says he and Alison haven't found anything." "Damn it." "Agreed."

Then they look to Lydia when she says, "I knew he was there. How did I know that?" Stiles responds, "Because you heard the flies. Right?" Nixie nods and says, "Yeah. Somehow… that let you know he was there." Scott asks, "What do you hear now Lydia?"

She tries… she really does, but finally tells them, "Nothing." Gritting her teeth, she adds, "I feel like I can do this, but I don't know what to do. It's like it's on the tip of my tongue and I don't know how to trigger it! I just… I swear to God, it literally makes me want to scream!"

Nixie, who has been watching her worriedly since she started her tirade, freezes on the spot and then mutters, "The wailing woman."

Lydia turns back to her and asks, "What?" "The wailing woman. That's what Mrs. Blake called you last year. A banshee. The 'wailing' woman." Turning to Stiles, Nixie says, "And wailing… that could mean…" Stiles nods eagerly in agreement and finishes for her, "Screaming. Same thing. So Lydia… Lydia scream. If that's what you feel like doing… then just scream."

She looks between both of them and asks, "Scream? But… that's… I mean, how is that going to…" Nixie moves to her and says, "Don't overthink it, Lydia. You overthink and then you risk missing the obvious; you know that. So don't think. Just do it. If you feel like screaming… then just scream."

And she does. Nixie jerks back with Stiles and puts her hands over her ears as Lydia's scream literally seems to create waves around them as it leaves her lips. Scott, the alpha, is the only one strong enough to not have to cover his ears, though he winces as well at the magnitude of the sound.

When she's finished, Stiles makes to ask what she feels now, but Nixie puts a hand on his chest to stop him and says, "Give her a minute." Lydia turns her head from side to side, trying to discern where the sound is coming from that she hears now. Looking upward finally, towards the street light above them, she says in realization, "It's not flies."

Turning around to face them, she ignores the fact that Stiles and Scott both lean back from her, as though worried she might scream again. Coming up to Nixie, who hasn't moved an inch, Lydia says, "It's electricity." Nixie tilts her head and asks, "The whole time?" "Yes. The whole time!"

Stiles then says, "Wait a second. Barrow was an electrical engineer. He worked at a power substation." Scott asks urgently, "What substation?"

As Stiles explains where they need to go, Nixie says, "Lydia, call the cops. Go with Stiles and tell them where they need to go. If they don't wanna listen, make them let you talk to Noah." "What if they won't let me talk to Noah?" "Then remind them that I am good friends with Noah, and will be very pissed if they don't listen to you." "Right."

Scott hurries to his bike next to hers and asks, "Plan?" "Save Kira. Kill the bastard that took her." "Nixie, I said…" "I didn't threaten to kill him to his face. I said it to you. Besides, if he's anywhere close to actually hurting her, I will kill his ass. Without hesitation. Now, are we done talking about this? We have a friend to go save." Scott rolls his eyes, but slips on his helmet and says, "You set the pace." "Obviously. Just make sure you keep up with me. I'm not slowing down for any of you."

* * *

As they pull up and unload, Stiles says to Lydia, "Okay, wait here, alright? Just wait for the cops to come." Lydia looks at him, slightly offended, and asks, "Me? Why me?"

She thought for a moment that, after everything, he simply wanted to keep her out of the fight altogether. But when he turned back to her, he said in an apologetic tone, "I only got one bat." Which… okay, yeah. Scott had claws. Nixie had a slew of weapons in her jacket and on her person. Stiles had a bat. Lydia… could scream. Not much of a weapon. So she settles back into the seat to wait.

Scott and Nixie are already in the building, sprinting down a corridor, when Scott draws up short and says, "There!" Kira, tied to the metal gate behind her, screams, "Scott! Nixie! NO!"

But it's too late, Barrow comes out of hiding and slams Scott in the chest with the electrical wiring. He flies backwards into Nixie, which sends both of the slamming into the concrete wall behind them. Slumping to the ground, Nixie puts a hand to her head and winces at the ache there. Scott struggles to try and get to his feet, but it's no use.

Barrow moves to Kira, to electrocute and kill her. Scott shouts, "Don't. She's not the one you want." But he hasn't overcome the shock to his system yet… can't make his eyes glow to prove to Barrow that he shouldn't go after Kira, he should come after him.

Barrow moves in closer, and Scott shouts, "DON'T!" Nixie, still pinned behind him, shoves Scott off of her and scrambles to her feet. Her head aches, but it's nothing compared to how angry she is at Barrow, and how angry she'll be if he succeeds. Sprinting forward, she says, "Leave her alone!"

But Barrow still touches the wires to Kira, and then makes to spin around and do the exact same to Nixie. And Nixie, at her full sprint, would've run right into him.

Then Kira screams, "NO!" And electricity seems to sort of explode throughout the whole area. Barrow, in particular, is fried to death from the blast. And Scott is staring at Kira, who is at the center of the whole thing.

Nixie, for her part, is on the ground right in front of Kira. As the wires had been aimed at her own chest, Kira's body had broken free and surged forward. And the blast that should've been given to Nixie, that probably should've come at least close to killing her… Kira was absorbing it. In fact… she was absorbing everything.

When the light finally died down, nothing but moonlight left, Kira looks from Scott to Nixie, and then asks in a trembling voice, "What… what just happened?" Nixie moves to stand to her feet. Glancing back at Scott, she asks, "You good?" Scott nods in response, and then Nixie turns back to Kira.

Reaching out a hand, she gingerly touches Kira's shoulder. And when nothing else happens, not even a shock of static electricity, Nixie rushes the rest of the way forward and wraps Kira in a tight hug. Sighing against her, Nixie says, "You just saved me and Scott's lives. That's what just happened."

Kira clings tightly to Nixie in response, and then says, "But…" "No, no buts. Not right now. We're all alive. We're all safe. You saved me. Focus on those things. Do that for me right now. Can you do that?"

Kira nods that she can, and then Nixie looks over at Scott and says, "Find Stiles. We need to figure out what we're telling the cops when they get here. And we need to figure it out fast." "On it." Smoothing a hand down Kira's hair, Nixie says, "Don't worry Kira." "But…" "No buts. I already explained that."

Leaning back, looking Kira in the eyes, Nixie says, "You're going to have to trust me. Whatever story we come up with, you have to go along with it. Okay? Can you do that for me?" Kira nods after a moment, and then says, "No one would believe what really happened anyway." "Exactly. So stick with us. Tell the story we tell you. Everything will be fine. I promise."

Pulling Kira back into a hug, she says, "I've got you, Kira. Alright? We've got this." Kira nods, but then asks, "How? How do you have this? How do you know what to do?" Laughing slightly, Nixie says, "Just trust me. At this point, we've had plenty of practice."

And while not exactly altogether proud of that fact, Nixie admits to herself, it's certainly coming in handy right about now.

* * *

Chapter 3! And Chapter 4 should follow at some point later today. Hope you guys are enjoying it so far! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 4: Episode 3x16

Chris punches Isaac in the face one last time, and his eyes finally change to golden-yellow. Alison can feel his ice-cold body begin to reheat upon triggering the change. Sighing in a bit of relief, she leans closer to him again when he asks, "Did you see them?" "Who, Isaac?"

Voice trembling, a tear slipping from one of his eyes in fear, he says, "There… there were five of them. They wore… black. I couldn't… I couldn't see their faces. They were covered." Putting her hands on his shoulders, Alison asks, "You mean like masks?" Isaac nods and says, "One of them… I could see his eyes. They were greenish-yellow. Like a… like a firefly."

Alison moves closer to Isaac while Chris stands to go check the windows. Moving the curtains aside, he says, "Security system wasn't triggered." Cradling Isaac's head against her, Alison asks, "How'd they get in?" But Isaac shakes his head and says, "They didn't. It was like they came out of the shadows."

And Alison doesn't miss the worried look of remembrance on her dad's face when he hears that. Straightening to look at him, she asks, "Do you know what that means?" Chris looks over at her and answers, "I'm… not sure." Coming back to them, he says, "Listen, the two of you. I need you to keep this quiet for a few hours."

Isaac lifts his head from Alison and asks, "From everyone?" Chris nods and says, "Just twenty-four hours." Alison looks up at him and says, "They could've killed him dad." "But they didn't. And I think there was a reason why. I think they might've been after me."

Isaac and Alison both look at him in surprise, but he's already leaving the room for a second to go and check on something. Alison moves closer to Isaac. He was warmer now, but still pretty cold, and still extremely shaken by whatever he'd just experienced. Isaac sighs against her, but then sniffs and says, "Your dad… is going to have to make an exception." "To what?" "To who we keep this quiet from." "Isaac, I know you're Scott's beta. But if we could just give dad…" "Not Scott."

Alison looks down at him and asks, "Then who?" He tilts his head back to see her face, and then says, "Nixie. I… I need to tell Nixie. I need to see her. If I could just… I'll be better if I can see her." Alison nods and says, "I'll tell my dad. He'll know better than to try and argue that point. Nixie would kick his ass if she thought he tried." Isaac grins at that, but as Alison makes to move, he clutches at her and says, "Please… please don't leave. Not yet… just not yet." "Alright Isaac. I'm not leaving." Running a hand through his hair comfortingly, she says firmly, "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

At the sheriff's station, Rafe McCall looks over all of them that they brought in from the power station. Nixie, Lydia, Scott, Stiles, and Kira are all seated in the Sheriff's office, ready to answer any more questions he might have.

Before the cops had shown up, Kira had been amazed when Scott and his friends formed a circle beside Stiles' jeep. Not a single one of them was freaking out about anything that had just happened. Not about Barrow being dead. Not about how she somehow magically absorbed all the electricity in the area. Not about any of it. They just all went into planning what they were going to tell the cops.

And as for the more in-depth interrogation, which is what was happening right now, Lydia had given Kira strict instructions to just let Nixie and Stiles handle most of the talking. Unless she was asked a direct question, just let Nixie and Stiles handle it.

When Kira asked why, Lydia simply responded, "Because getting under the FBI's skin is becoming a specialty of theirs." Which in turn, Stiles and Nixie high-fived about, and then they all braced themselves for the questions to come.

Now, sitting here in the office, Stiles and Nixie glances at each other before nodding subtly and then looking back at Rafe.

He looks down at his notepad, and then asks, "So, when did you get there?" Stiles immediately jumps in and says, "At the same time." Rafe gives him a look and asks, "At the same time as who?" Nixie lifts up a hand and says, "Same time as me and Scott." "By coincidence?" Stiles tilts his head and asks, "What do you mean coincidence?" Rafe grits his teeth and asks, "That's what I'm asking you. The three of you arrived at the same time. Was that a coincidence?"

And now Nixie tilts her head and asks, "Are you asking me?" But Stiles lifts a finger and says, "Actually, I think he's asking me." "Are you sure, Stiles? Cause he was looking this way." "You know, you're right, he might be asking you." "Of course, now he's looking at you instead of me, so maybe he was asking you." "True. You're making this very difficult to understand, Agent McCall."

And then Lydia, just for the sake of chiming in, says, "I think he's asking both of you." Nixie makes a thoughtful noise at that and says, "Well, that's not very smart. We can't both answer him at the same time. He wouldn't understand the answer." Lydia nods, but says, "Unless he knows that you and Stiles can often answer questions in perfect unison." "True as well… but he didn't already know that." "Also true. So yeah, I don't know who he was asking. Very confusing. I agree."

Rafe grits his teeth again at all of them and says, "Okay. Let me answer the questions." Then he pauses, realizing the mistake in his sentence. And Kira doesn't miss how Stiles slides his hand behind Scott's back and Nixie reaches over briefly to high-five him before they both return to looking completely innocent. Or… well, as innocent as they could possibly look.

Sighing, Rafe edits, "Let me ask the questions." Stiles points to him affirmatively while Nixie gives him a little salute. He looks at both of them in annoyance, and then returns to his notes and says, "Just so I have this absolutely clear. Barrow was hiding in the chemistry closet at the school. Someone left him a coded message on the blackboard telling him to kill Kira. Then Barrow took Kira to a power substation… and tied her up with the intent of electrocuting her, which blacked out the entire town."

Stiles nods and says, "Sounds about right." Rafe then asks, "How'd you know he'd take her to a power station?" Stiles begins, "Well, because he was an electrical engineer." Nixie nods and adds, "And that's the one he used to work at. So, where else would he take her?" Rafe looks between the two of them and says, "Well, that's one hell of a deduction there, you two."

Stiles smirks and says, "What can we say? We take after our pops." Nixie nods and adds, "He's in law enforcement, you know."

It's the brief laugh that Noah can't really hide that makes Nixie finally grin as well. Rafe glances back at the man, who covers with a cough and says, "Guys, just answer the man." Rafe nods, but then gestures to Nixie and asks, "And you own this one two? I thought she was just a friend." Scott straightens up and gives his dad a glare, but Nixie pats his shoulder and says, "Easy Scott."

Noah gives Rafe a reproachful look as well, and then says, "For all intents and purposes, the young lady is mine as well. Now finish asking your questions so we can send these guys home. Guys, answer him, please."

They all nod, and then Stiles shrugs and says, "We made a good guess." Nixie nods and adds, "Based on the information we could find at our disposal." Rafe then looks over and asks, "And what were the three of you doing?" Kira says, "Eating sushi," while Scott says, "Eating pizza." They try to backtrack and switch it up, but that just gets more confusing. So Nixie says for them, "We started with the sushi, and then they moved on to pizza. Raw fish isn't exactly a delicacy everyone can learn to love and enjoy. But fear not. Scott will eat Italian food, so all hope isn't lost yet."

Rafe sighs and rolls his eyes before asking Noah, "You believe this?" Noah shrugs and says, "To be honest, I haven't believed a word Stiles has said since he learned how to speak." Stiles nods, though his eyes squint, as though not entirely sure how to take that. Noah just winks over at Nixie before continuing, "But I think these kids found themselves in the right place at the right time. And that girl sitting there is very lucky for it."

Everyone nods, but Kira looks up when Rafe asks, "Kira, is that how you remember it?"

She watches as the others lean forward to look at her, all anxious of her response. Then she looks over at Nixie. Blue eyes watch her patiently, and a gentle smile graces her features before she nods to Kira. She then turns back to Rafe and says softly, "Yes, that's how I remember it? Can I have my phone back now, please?"

Rafe sighs, and then says, "No. Sorry, but it's part of the investigation for now." Kira nods in understanding, but only relaxes when Nixie rubs a hand against her back in comfort. She suddenly felt certain that, if she asked, Nixie would do whatever it took to get her phone back for her.

As they're preparing to leave, a deputy being assigned to escort Kira home after she's filled out paperwork, Nixie is preparing to walk out as well, but pauses when she hears Rafe say, "Scott." Turning back to stand next to Scott, Nixie watches as Rafe pauses to look down at her. Pointing to his son, he says, "I called for Scott." Nixie nods, and then says, "My presence next to your son, especially when he's around people I don't like, is sort of a thing you're gonna have to get used to if you're sticking around here for any length of time."

And as Scott puts his arm around her, Rafe realizes she's not leaving until Scott does. Sighing, he says, "Look, I don't know why you guys are lying. Or why Stilinski is content to listen to this crap. But try to remember something. If half this story about Barrow is true, then not only did someone help set him loose, but he's a pawn in their little game."

As Scott tenses, Nixie braces a hand against his back in comfort while Rafe continues, "A mass murderer is bad enough. A mass murderer being controlled by someone? Far worse." Scott nods and says, "Yeah, I get it." Rafe nods and says, "Alright. Go home. It's a school night."

And Scott can't help chuckling a little when Nixie says in a loud whisper, "He says that like we don't already know. Are we sure he's completely okay in the head department?" Pulling her along before his dad can comment, Scott sighs and says, "Thanks." "Of course. I'm always here when you need me, my fearless leader." "Yeah. A fearless leader who hates having to spend any time alone with his dad." Nixie puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "Hey. Not enjoying spending time with the man who up and left when you were, like, four, is okay Scott. Nothing to be ashamed of there. He's the one who ought to feel ashamed. And before you come anywhere even close to letting him back in, you make sure he knows that first."

Grinning, Scott says, "Yes ma'am." "Good. I'll see you tomorrow."

She's about halfway home when her phone rings. "Yeah? What's up?" "Nixie, I need you to come to my house." "What's wrong Alison?" "I'll tell you when you get here. Isaac needs to see you. And… can it just be you?" "Sure. I'll be there in ten."

When she arrives, Chris leads her to the living room where Isaac and Alison are sitting near the gas fireplace. Isaac smells her as soon as she walks in, and is on his feet and moving towards her before she's even halfway into the room. Wrapping his arms around her, he sighs in relief and says, "Thank you." "Of course, Isaac."

She lets him hold her as long as he needs, and then when he lets go, she says, "Alright, fill me in. And then I'll fill you guys in. Because tonight… well, it's been a doozy."

It takes them an hour to completely catch everybody up on what's happened. And when Chris asks for his twenty-four hours from her as well, she frowns and says, "I disapprove." "I figured you would. Just give me a little time, please. Let me see if I can figure out exactly what this is."

She debates that for a moment, and then says, "Fine. But if Scott does get wind of this and asks me about it, I am not going to lie. I won't tell him right now, if he doesn't ask. But I will not lie to him." Chris nods and says, "And I won't ask anything more from you than that." "Good. And if you do find out anything, let me know." "Of course."

Nixie then looks down at Isaac and asks, "You gonna be alright?" "Yeah. I'll be fine." Nodding, she says, "Go home then. Everyone get some sleep. Because it's shaping up to be another thrilling semester in Beacon Hills."

* * *

"Class starts in five minutes! Just because there's no power, don't expect there to be no school!"

As Coach continues on down the hall with his megaphone, Stiles turns from his locker to say, "Hey, that was a triple negative. Very impressive Coach." And then Nixie laughs when Coach answers back over the mike, "Copy that!"

Stiles grins at her, and then curses under his breath as his keys fall out of his locker. Bending down to get them for him, Nixie pauses and looks at them more closely. Being with Stiles and Scott as often as she was, it afforded her the knowledge of knowing what keys they had and what they were for. Heck, many of the keys they had were duplicated and put on her own keychain.

But in particular, there is a new one on Stiles' chain that she doesn't recognize. Holding it up, she asks, "What's this for?" Stiles glances to see what she's talking about, and then frowns in confusion before saying, "Not sure where that came from. Hmm… I'll have to think about that a bit. I don't remember copying any new keys lately." When he sees Nixie's raised eyebrow, he asks, "What? I copy a lot of keys! You never know where we might need to be able to get into, what with all the supernatural mumbo-jumbo that keeps happening in this town!"

Nixie just shakes her head and chuckles, then looks down the hall to see Scott when he walks in. But his eyes are instantly trained past them, and as Stiles and Nixie both turn to see what he's looking at, they find Kira. And Kira immediately turns around and heads in the opposite direction, towards her locker down the hall.

In spite of the fact that they did help cover for her with Barrow, Nixie can't really blame her. Everything that just happened the other night… it was a lot to process. Especially for a new kid.

Scott starts trying to race after her, but Stiles catches him and says, "No, no, no… stop, stop." Scott glances between both of them and says, "What? I need to talk to her." But Stiles says, "No, you don't. You need to remember that someone left a coded message telling Barrow to kill her." "Which is why I need to talk to her." "Scott, no way! Until we figure out if she's just another psychotic monster that's going to start murdering everybody, I vote against any and all interaction!"

As Kira glances back at them from her locker, and then starts walking away, Scott sighs and asks, "What if she's like me?" Stiles immediately answers back, "That girl walked through 1.21 gigawatts of electricity. She's not like you."

Scott gives him a look, but then turns to Nixie and asks, "What do you think?"

For her part, Nixie had been standing there silently, listening to the two of them argue. In terms of dealing with people, her boys were polar opposites. Scott saw the best in people, or he tried to, always. Stiles saw and looked for the worst in people before he started seeing the good. Again, always.

Nixie wasn't exactly a balance between the two. She just, had her own way of deciding. Her sixth sense, as Stiles called it. And while she didn't really enjoy it when they tried to rely on it as a basis for trusting someone… it had never failed her yet. She didn't think it would suddenly start now.

Based on that, she takes a breath and says, "I think Stiles is right about her not being like you. She's definitely not a werewolf. No werewolf, no matter how strong, would've survived the entire blast that she did." Stiles beams in victory, but then turns back to her when she says, "But… I still like her. And I don't think we should forget one very important detail about last night."

When both boys tilt their heads at her, Nixie rolls her eyes and says, "She only walked through 1.21 gigawatts of electricity, so she could try and save my life. If she hadn't, I'd be dead, Scott would be dead… we'd all probably be dead."

Standing up straight, Nixie shrugs and says, "I still like her. I'm still gonna be her friend." Scott smiles and nods to that, and then nods in understanding when Nixie says, "But Scott… don't push her. Give her a little bit of space. She'll talk when she's ready. Just… be gentle."

Hefting her bag higher on her shoulder, Nixie says, "I'm heading to biology. See you guys later."

In the classroom, she's about to take the seat next to Lydia, when Aiden swoops in and takes the chair. Lydia glances at him, and then looks back at Nixie. Aiden looks too, and then quickly moves to scoop up another chair and put it at the same table as them.

Lydia does smile at that, which makes Aiden grin. He still has no shot at being more than friends with her anymore… but at least that's a greater possibility as long as he remembers how important Nixie is to Lydia.

She takes the seat on the other side of Lydia, and then pauses in opening her book to look up at Natalie when she hands out their papers. Bending down, Natalie says, "Girls, since this is my first class and I haven't taught in five years, I just want to remind you guys of one thing. Try not to embarrass me." Nixie shrugs, but can't help grinning when Lydia says, "You should've thought about that before wearing those shoes."

Natalie looks down, and then gives her daughter a look, though she's grinning as well, which takes any heat out of it. Lydia just grins back and says, "Love you." "Love you too. And you, Nixie." Nixie smiles up at her and says, "I'll be sure to keep up my best behavior, just for you Ms. Martin."

As she walks away, Lydia quickly asks, "You called my mom by her last name?" "We're in class. I can't call her Natalie while we're in class. That's, like, against the rules. And I just said I would be on my best behavior. Geez."

Lydia chuckles, and then turns to Aiden when he asks, "Why is your mom teaching biology?" Tensing slightly, Lydia turns and says tightly, "Because Mr. Harris used to teach biology. Until his new occupation. Human sacrifice." Nixie nods while writing down a note in her textbook, and then says, "Quite a nasty profession, if you ask me." Lydia turns to her and asks, "Really Nixie?" "You mean the sarcasm? Always."

Lydia just turns back to Aiden to give him a pointed look, to which he asks, "What? I didn't kill him." Lydia just scoffs under her breath, so Aiden asks again, "Lydia, what?"

She pauses in her perusal of her notes and sighs before putting together her answer. Taking a breath, she says, "The other night, I helped save someone's life." Nixie nods and adds, "More like master-minded the whole thing. We wouldn't have had any idea where to go if not for you." Lydia smiles brighter at that, and then turns back to Aiden and says, "And it felt… really good."

Tilting her head at him, she continues, "And I look at you, and all I can think is that you helped kill Boyd. You're not just a bad boy, Aiden. You're a bad guy. And I don't want to be with the bad guys. I was once. I was with a really bad guy. And I… I almost lost…"

Nixie leans back in her seat, meeting Lydia's gaze that has now switched over to her. Aiden looks between them, a bit of shock in his own eyes. If he was reading everything right, Lydia was saying that she'd almost lost Nixie… that she'd almost gone so far over off the deep end; that Nixie had actually let her go. And from what he had heard and seen, Nixie was, literally, impossible to get rid of as a friend.

Nixie gives her shoulder a squeeze and says, "We both know you never really lost me." "But I pushed you away. And I don't want to go back to that. I won't." Back to Aiden, she says, "So we can't." Aiden gives a tight nod, but then relaxes a little when Nixie says, "Just because I feel a bit sorry for him, I am going to point out that I don't dislike him nearly as much as I used to. Still like Ethan better… but Aiden's on the fast track to becoming Twin A. So… there's that in his favor." Lydia grins, and then they go back to working on their notes.

Though Nixie doesn't miss how Aiden turns to Danny and says, "I think I know a place where you can have your party." So… the black light party might still be going on. Cool.

Or not cool, considering it was only a 'black light party', because there was literally almost no power left in this town. But… to each his own.

Nixie was halfway through her day after that, when Scott texted her. _"We have to get Kira's phone back. Meet me after school and I'll fill you in. But we have to get it back. Tonight. Before they have a chance to go through it."_

As he's sitting next to Kira, waiting on a response, he chuckles when he gets her reply. Kira looks up at him and asks, "What? Does she think we're crazy?" "Oh no. Just… here, look."

He hands over his phone, and when Kira reads, she can't help grinning as well.

" _We're breaking into the evidence locker? Sweet! This is definitely going at the top of my resume. Between this and grave robbery, my future career possibilities are endless. We should consider robbing a bank in the future though. Just to have that on there. And because I know you're laughing at this, I'm going to go ahead and ask why. I'm dead serious."_

* * *

When Nixie pulls up on her bike, meeting them at the back of the police station, she comes to stand by the door of Stiles' jeep with Scott and Kira. Stiles nods to her, and then starts handing Scott the key cards, explaining, "Okay, this one will get you into all of the perimeter doors… this one into the evidence room… and this one's for my father's office."

Scott stares at him in surprise for a moment, and then asks, "You didn't steal these, did you?" Nixie raises an eyebrow and says, "We're breaking into the evidence locker to steal back what your father thinks is critical evidence in an investigation. But the fact that Stiles might've stolen the key cards is the thing that bothers you?" To Kira, she says in a loud whisper, "I worry about him sometimes."

Scott rolls his eyes while grinning, and then turns back to Stiles for an answer. Stiles shrugs and says, "No. I cloned them using a RFID emulator." Scott glances at that cards, and then asks, "Is that worse than stealing?" Stiles takes a moment to think about that, and then simply says, "Smarter."

And then he grins when Nixie reiterates, "And yet again, is this really our biggest concern of the night? We're breaking into the evidence locker. Let's move past the key cards. Stiles, what else do we need to know?"

But before he can answer, Kira pulls Scott to the side to ask him a question. In response to that, Stiles pulls Nixie closer and asks, "What are they talking about?" Nixie tilts her head to listen, and then shrugs and says, "Kira's still nervy about who knows about the pictures of her with the flash. Scott's telling her that she told us that the pictures she wants to get rid of are naked pictures." Stiles ponders that a moment, and then makes a thoughtful noise in his throat before saying, "Nice. Oh, here they come."

With Kira and Scott back, Stiles explains, "Okay. Now, almost everybody's out dealing with the blackout. Okay? But there's always somebody at the front desk. Dispatch, usually a night shifter or two." Nixie nods and says, "Which is why we're going to use the service door entrance by the dumpster." Stiles nods and adds, "Exactly. Because nobody uses it. And guys, I'll text you if anybody comes out. But Scott, if you get caught, I can't help you. Okay? My dad's under investigation for an impeachment… which is because of your dad. So, if anything happens, I will run and leave you both for dead."

Scott nods and says, "I get it. Thanks. Seriously, dude." Stiles nods and says, "I'd ask my dad, you know. But…" "No, I know. I get it. Which reminds me though, how did you come up with this plan so fast, if you didn't ask your dad?" Stiles just points his thumb in Nixie's direction. When Kira and Scott both look at her, she shrugs and asks, "What? It's not like it was all my idea. This was a team effort. And because we're a team, with everyone putting in a lot of effort, we will succeed and pull this off."

Putting a hand on Kira's shoulder, squeezing gently, Nixie says, "I'll be outside the evidence locker waiting for you guys to get out. Stiles can't help if anyone comes out, but I can. So he'll let me know, and I'll try to be a diversion. Alright? But you guys, seriously, have to move as fast as possible. I do not fancy having to sit in a cell and spend the night because I was trying to cover for you two. Got me?"

They both nod, and then Nixie says, "Good. Alright, let's get this show on the road. Move it."

As soon as they're in, Nixie takes to hiding behind one of the main desks while Kira and Scott sneak into the evidence locker. Sighing as she sits there, waiting for them to hurry up so they can get out of here, she feels her phone vibrate. Looking at it, she curses when she reads Stiles' message, _"McCall is here! Get out now!"_ "Shit."

She hears the main door open, and is working out a plausible explanation for her presence here so she can cover for Kira and Scott, when she hears the unmistakable sound of Stiles barging in the main doors and starting to talk to Rafe McCall. Gritting her teeth, she says, "Double shit."

She scrambles and taps on the evidence door as a warning to Scott, and then hurries back out the service door and towards the front where Stiles went in. When she gets there, Stiles is saying, "I was thinking I should clue you in on my thinking. And here's my thinking. I was thinking…"

"Stiles!" Both men jump at the sound of her voice suddenly in the room. Nixie moves in closer, standing beside Stiles. Glancing up at Rafe, she then looks to Stiles and asks, "You fill him in yet?" And Stiles is quick to catch on that she's stalling, and buying more time by delaying them further. Shaking his head, he says, "I was about to." "Well, hurry up. He should probably know this." "I know, I know. That's why I came here tonight instead of waiting for the morning." "Well, I figured that much. Anyways, so go ahead and tell him."

Stiles nods and says, "So… I was thinking, that… Barrow, right… Barrow received the information about who to kill at the school, right? You know that?" Nixie nods and says, "He knows that part Stiles." "Right. Of course. So, I was thinking that, maybe, the person who gave him that information… and check this out… might actually be someone at the school."

Rafe gives Stiles a look, and then glances over to see Nixie's face. He doesn't believe for a second that there's any way they both thought he didn't already know that. But… he'd give Nixie this much. She had a hell of a poker face. Earnest eyes, nodding head… if he weren't already onto the fact that they were all lying about something, he might've actually believed that they thought they were giving him valuable information.

In any case, neither of them look as though they're suddenly on edge because of this obvious tidbit. And he doubts he could fluster them enough to get anything else out of them. So, to save himself time and a headache, he simply says, "You're right." Stiles blinks and asks, "I am?" "Yep. We uh… we started looking for links between Barrow, faculty, and students last night." "Ah. So you already, then, know that stuff? You already thought of that."

"Hmm. Your dad did." Stiles straightens up a bit and says, "Oh." "Yeah. His one, useful suggestion." And Rafe makes to sweep his key card and move past them into the room.

Before he can though, he winces as he feels his wrist suddenly twisted sharply and then held in a slightly painful way. Glancing up, he finds Nixie's eyes on him once again. And if looks could kill…

Stepping closer, pinning him with her eyes, she says, "You know, this attitude you have towards Noah? You need to let it go. It's unbecoming of a man who's supposed to have your stature and authority. Plus, we're not stupid. Neither is Scott. So you can dress it up to all the professional disapproval that you want. But we all know the real reason why you don't like him."

Wrenching his wrist free of her grip, he asks, "Is that so?" Nixie nods and says, "Yeah. Because Noah knows something that you don't want him to know." Rafe gives a soft scoff and chuckle, but when he makes to reach past her again, he freezes when she moves into his path, daring him with her eyes to try and reach past her again.

Leaning in closer, she says, "And guess what? We know it too. Stiles… well, because Stiles knows everything when it comes to Scott. They're best friends. And he tries his best to take care of his friends. And me… because they're my boys."

And Rafe actually feels a chill rush up his spine, a sudden coolness enter the air, when Nixie steps even closer and warns, "Mark my words, Agent McCall. If you ever hurt either of my boys, ever again, I will make you wish you were dead. Getting thrown into a stair railing by a young woman will seem like child's play, compared to what I do to you if that happens."

She glares at him a moment more, and then says in a gentle tone, "Come on Stiles. We're getting out of here. After all… there's a curfew."

Stiles doesn't hesitate. If Nixie was willing to leave, then he was willing to bet she'd been listening and knew that Scott and Kira were on their way back out of the building. Coming up with her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he says, "I could've handled that." "I know. But I'm more intimidating than you are. And before that man ever becomes Scott's friend or father again, he will learn what happens when someone threatens either of you."

Stiles just hugs her tighter in response, and then they wait by his jeep for Scott and Kira to return.

They come back, breathless, and Scott says, "We did it. All the pics deleted." Nixie nods and says, "A+ job then." Kira nods and says excitedly, "That was awesome!"

When Stiles gives her an amused look, she edits, "I mean, terrifying. Completely terrifying. But… kind of awesome. I mean, I've never done anything like that before. Have you?" Stiles and Scott just look at each other, but then both chuckle when Nixie says, "You did read my text right? Where I told Scott this was a great addition to my resume? Right up there with grave robbery." "I thought that was a joke." "It was, in part. But not entirely."

Kira gives her a confused look, so Stiles says, "Suffice to say, we've done something like this once or twice." Kira nods, still grinning, until Scott says, "I guess I should take you home."

As they start walking away, Nixie whispers so Scott can hear, "Or… the black light party is still going on. In Derek's loft. I don't exactly approve of that part… but, she'd probably have fun."

Scott glances back at her, and then grins and nods before hopping on his bike with Kira.

As Nixie hops on her ride, Stiles asks, "You going?" "Nope. For once, I am going to try and catch up on some homework, and maybe jump ahead in my reading. But if anything happens that you think I need to know about, keep me posted." "Most definitely."

* * *

Nixie had actually managed to finish one of her papers and was going through her history notes for the exam next week, when her phone rang. Picking up, she asks, "Yeah?" "Nix…" Sitting up in the bed and tossing her legs over the side, Nixie asks, "Lydia? What's wrong?" "I don't know. I'm hearing something like a snarling sound. I'm outside at the party right now. But it's…"

When she pauses, Nixie says, "Lydia, talk to me. What's going on?" "He's… he's coming out of the shadows. Literally. He's… they're…" "Lydia?"

The beginnings of a scream start, and Nixie begins to cover her ears, except then the scream dies. And not in any normal way. It's as though something suddenly sucked all of the noise volume out of the air, out of Lydia's throat, and forced the sound to vanish away.

Snapping out of bed, slipping on some tennis shoes, Nixie forgoes changing into anything presentable. Sweatpants and a tank top are going to have to suffice as she races out of her apartment and hops on her bike. She only barely remembers to grab her jacket, not even bothering to put it on, but tying it around her waist as she sprinted down the stairs.

As she hurries down the street, easily going fifty over the speed limit, she just prays that whatever's happening, she isn't too late. And heaven help the idiot that had done anything to Lydia. Nixie would make sure hell actually freezes over.

* * *

As Scott leads Kira outside onto the roof, away from the noise and the crowd, they sit down together to relax for a moment. Kira points out that Scott has paint on his face, and when he can't get it off, she wets her thumb with her mouth and gets it for him.

Laughing at all of it, Scott says, "I can't believe you just mommed me." "I did not mom you!" "You totally mommed me." Kira ducks her head, but laughs in return and says, "Okay. I may have slightly mommed you."

They both laugh, and then sit in silence for a moment. But after a while, Kira asks, "How are you so okay with all of this? I mean… I just showed you a picture that would send anyone else running the other way." Scott takes a moment to think, and then says honestly, "It didn't look that bad to me."

Kira gives him a look and says, "It looked like a demon from hell." Scott shrugs, "I guess I saw something different." Tilting her head curiously, Kira asks, "What did you see?" Smiling gently, Scott answers, "It kind of looks like it's, uh… protecting you. Kind of like armor. And it doesn't look like a demon to me." "Then… what do you think it looks like?"

"I think it looks like a fox."

Then, before they can say anything else, Scott jerks his head as he hears a roar in the distance. Standing up and looking around, he's not even sure how he knows precisely who it is. But he knows, and he asks himself wonderingly, "Derek?"

And then he hears the screeching of tires in the distance. The distinct sound of an engine revving and running far faster than was technically safe, and the burning of rubber as it rounded another turn. And that sound was unmistakably Nixie, racing to get to them.

Turning back to Kira, he says, "Come on. We have to get inside. Now!"

* * *

When Derek arrives at his loft, Nixie actually pulls in seconds before him. As fast as she was already going, he didn't dare try to beat her through the gate. He paused on his side and waited for her to barrel on towards his car, and then turn sharply and shoot inside towards the building.

Pulling up behind her, he asks, "What's happening?" "I have no idea. But listen. There's a party going on in your loft. I need you to be a complete and total ass and make it end. Immediately."

As she makes to sprint off, Derek catches her arm and asks, "Where are you going?" "I have to find Lydia! Something happened. Just stop the party and get everyone out except our people. Do it now!"

He doesn't try to stop her again. Instead, he picks her up and sprints up the stairs with her. Setting her down outside the door, he says, "I'll get everyone out." "I know you will."

Weaving her way through the crowd, knocking people over when they don't get out of her way fast enough, she finds Danny suddenly waving his arms frantically at her from a nearby corner. Rushing towards him, she asks, "Hey, do you know where…" "She's over here! I don't know what happened, but she's freezing! Come on!"

He leads the way back to where Aiden and Lydia are sitting by the heater. Aiden looks up and asks, "Did you find a blanket?" "No. Found something better." Aiden is about to ask what, but then Nixie is sliding to the ground next to him. Taking Lydia's freezing hands in her own, Nixie says, "Lydia. Lydia, look at me."

Lydia looks up, and then reaches out frantically for her and says, "They came out of the dark. They came… out of the shadows."

Just like the things that attacked Isaac in the Argents' house. Damn it.

Aiden is about to loosen his grip, to let Lydia rest in Nixie's arms instead. That's probably where Lydia wanted to be. But Nixie noticed him moving and said, "Don't you dare let her go." Looking at her in surprise, he says, "But… she wants you." "I don't give a damn what she wants right now. What she needs, is to get warm again. Which means I can't hold her right now. I run cold and I'll just speed up the process of her freezing to death. You're hot blooded. Don't you dare let her go."

He resumes his grip over Lydia, who shivers but curls into him regardless. Nixie smooths a hand over her hair, and then asks, "What happened?" Aiden shakes his head, "I don't know. We found her out on the balcony like this."

And then the music stops suddenly, and the distinctly annoyed and frustrated shout of Derek's voice says, "GET OUT!" There's a brief pause, but then everyone starts scrambling to get out, everyone except those in the pack.

And some seriously freaky looking ninjas. Literal ninjas. Not like Nixie, who they always joke about being a ninja. Actual, freaking, ninjas.

Nixie helps Aiden get Lydia off the floor, and then she grabs Danny and says, "Get Lydia out of here." Danny nods, but Lydia reaches out for her and says, "Find Scott." "Don't worry Lydia. I'm on it."

Lydia's no sooner out of the room than Scott and Kira come down from the rooftop. Then the ninjas all turn as one, so they face where Aiden and Nixie are standing. Watching them in a bit of fright, Aiden says, "Guys, they're all looking at us. Why are they all looking at us?"

Nixie stares back at them, unflinching, and says, "Probably because we're the best looking." Aiden snaps his eyes to her and asks, "Really?" "The sarcasm? Always."

She reaches down to her jacket hanging from her hips, grabbing two of her daggers from inside. Twirling them in her hands, she grins and says, "Alright. Let's do this."

Derek, Scott, and Nixie all move forward to try and take on these black-cloaked ninjas. The others stay where they are, each trying to protect the significantly weaker members of the pack right now.

Derek snaps one of their necks, but the damn thing just rights itself and then throws him back into one of the metals columns in the loft. And Scott holds his own for a while, but eventually one of these shadowy figures materializes right beside him and slams against his chest as well, knocking him down and sliding him across the floor into a beam as well.

The ninja that Nixie was fighting, upon seeing her blades, took out his own samurai sword to fight her with. So maybe they were more like samurai.

Whatever. Nixie doesn't care. They hurt Lydia. They'd hurt Isaac and Ethan and Derek apparently. And now they were trying to go after Aiden, Scott, and possibly Kira.

Alison is honestly impressed. Her dad had told her that, based on the words of the instructor he'd assigned to Nixie, the progress she'd made over the summer had been impressive to say the least. But still, Alison hadn't actually born witness to that progress in its entirety, until now. And Nixie… she really was like their own personal, compact ninja.

A damn fierce one too. The very moment one of the black ninja started gaining ground, Nixie pushed back harder. She was sweating and tired, but she never quit.

It was as one of the ninjas were getting the upper hand, when he was about to slice her across the middle, that all of the ninjas jerked when every single werewolf in the room growled in rage.

Nixie was surprised too. She knew Derek and Scott were on the ground, the wind knocked out of them from the previous blows. But it was like seeing her that close to getting hurt, suddenly spurred them to try and get to their feet faster, as futile as that effort might be. They were both still struggling with it, but they were trying harder.

The ninja, with his blade towards her, actually tilted his head curiously at her, before he then stood up straight and put away his blade. And Nixie, for a brief moment, thought he was actually considering just leaving. Which… you know, would've been wonderful.

No such luck. At the time, all of their attention had still been focused mostly on Aiden, and on getting to him. But now, all of the ninjas turned their attention towards her. They stalked, moved, and came towards her, creating a circle around her, boxing her in.

And no matter where she hit them or how hard, they just kept righting themselves and kept on coming.

One finally grabbed one of her arms from behind. Pulling it around behind her, locking her in place, he refused to let go, even as she tried to kick back into his knee to break it. Another grabbed her other arm, one hand beneath her armpit, lifting her slightly so she was on her toes and then in the air.

Nixie could hear the snarls from around the room, but it was useless. One of the ninjas moved in front of her, held his hand out, and then cupped her face in it.

She felt like the world was tilting on its axis before her. The world was growing a bit dimmer and darker, and she could feel chills begin running through her body. Which, considering how she could usually handle freezing temperatures, was saying something. And then it was like everything that was inside of her was being searched and scoped out with a fine-toothed comb. Nothing was left untouched or explored. It was the most violating feeling that Nixie had ever felt in her life.

Then she felt a symbol get burned into the space behind the back of her ear, and then they dropped her on the ground, apparently finished with her.

Scott watches as the ninjas back away from her, for a moment all staring at her. And then one of the ninjas looked down at his hand. The one who had been touching her face, the one who had marked her… his glove was covered in a thin layer of frost.

Whatever that was about… no one was quite sure. But finally, they all turned their attention back to Aiden. And for a moment, it looked like their path wouldn't be deterred at all this time.

Then one of them had a dagger thrown through the back of his head, shattering the mask over his face. They all froze for a moment while that one fixed himself, and then they glanced back at Nixie.

She could still barely move, but she was on her hands and knees, and one of her daggers was gone, thrown harshly towards them in what little effort she could exert to try and stop their progress.

It didn't work in the end, but one of them… one of them actually seems to bow his head to her, before they turn back to Aiden, and do the same thing to him as they'd done to Nixie.

Then they turn towards Kira, and Nixie turns to Scott and says, "Get me up." He moves over to her, helps her stand, and then they both move into a protective stance in front of Kira. Nixie found another dagger in her jacket pocket, and though her legs were shaky, she forced herself to remain standing as they came closer.

Scott growled, eyes glowing red and teeth extended. Glancing back at Kira, letting her see him for part of what he really was, he then turned back to the ninjas and growled again.

Nixie didn't have to question what Scott's growl was meant to say. These ninjas would have to go through him first, if they wanted to get to Kira. And Scott hears Nixie twirl her daggers from behind him, a silent confirmation that she was in agreement with him.

And then… the sunlight of a new morning began shining through the windows of the loft. And as the entire room was bathed in light, the ninjas glanced at the sun, and then slowly vanished and faded back into nothing.

Shadows. They were, quite literally, shadows in the night. They couldn't work in the daylight.

Nixie makes a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat and mutters, "Very good to know."

And then she starts falling, her legs unable to support her anymore. As she drops to her knees, Kira shouts, "Scott!" He turns swiftly towards them, and then catches Nixie before she can fall forward onto her face. And upon feeling just how cold she is, even for her, he cradles her into his arms, curling her into a ball that he can wrap around to try and keep warm.

Looking out at the others, he asks, "What the hell were those things?"

Silence greets him for a moment, until Isaac looks over at Alison and says, "Your dad's twenty-four hours are up." Alison nods finally, in agreement, and makes to call him. Scott turns back to Nixie and hugs her tighter while asking, "You alright?" "Oh, sure. Taking on shadows that come to life as real-life ninjas; being this close to catching hypothermia in southern California… it's a typical Tuesday for me." Scott looks at her in confusion for a moment and says, "It's Thursday." "Exactly."

Kira looks down at her, completely baffled, but then looks up at Derek when he chuckles and says, "She's fine." He glances at Kira, and then bends down with Scott and asks Nixie, "We like her?" "Yep. She's great." "Alright then."

He holds out his arms for her, and Scott picks Nixie up and hands her over to Derek. Scott might be the alpha, but Derek was still the older, bigger, and heftier built werewolf. Which meant he ran hotter, which meant he would warm Nixie up faster.

Alison hangs up and says, "Dad's not answering me. Nixie, can I borrow your…" "Right pants pocket." Alison pulls Nixie's phone out and tries to use hers to call her dad. When she still doesn't get an answer, she says, "I have to go home and check on him."

As she prepares to leave, Nixie says, "Wait! Just wait a freaking minute!" Sighing, she glances to Isaac and says, "You. You're going with her, right?" Isaac nods to that, and then Nixie says, "And Scott? You're taking Kira home?" "Yeah. But… what about tomorrow night?" "Kira comes with us to your house. We'll try to keep her safe there. Kira? Sound good?" Kira nods, and then Nixie looks up at Derek and asks, "And who are you staying with? No one is going to be alone right now."

Derek grins down at her, and then says, "I'll stick close by. Close enough for you to know if something's about to happen to me. Work for you?" "I suppose. Now, where's Lydia? Wherever she is, that's where I'll be."

Scott raises an eyebrow and asks, "And if they come back for her, what are you going to do right now?" "Annoy them to death. That's my plan. Besides, I'll be right as rain in just a few minutes. Human torch over here is doing a bang up job of heating me up." Derek chuckles and asks, "Human torch?" "Well, it's what you feel like to me right now."

Nixie then tries to look at the twins, who both move to come over for her to see. Sighing, she asks, "You both good?" They both nod, and then Aiden takes her hand and says, "Thanks." "For what?" "For trying to save me." "Yeah. A lot of bloody good it did you. They still got to you. I failed miserably, and am thoroughly ashamed."

Aiden grins a little and says, "I appreciate it, regardless." Nixie just nods, and then says, "In any case, you two, stick together. You both have my numbers, right?" Ethan says, "I got it from Danny a while back." "Good. If anything, and I mean anything happens, call me. Or I am going to be pissed. Pissed as hell. Understand?"

They both nod, and then Nixie huffs in exhaustion and says, "Derek. If it's not too much trouble, could you get me to Lydia? And make sure my bike doesn't stay here overnight. I hate to bug you anymore, but…" "Nixie. Shut up. I'll get you where you need to go." "Excellent."

And then, amidst her eyes drifting shut against her will, she manages to say, "And for the love of God, somebody figure out where the hell Stiles is!"

* * *

And here is Chapter 4! Chapter 5 will hopefully arrive later tonight. But it's raining, so internet issues may arise. You have been warned; I guarantee nothing. Well, except that I'm working on it. That's a promise. Hope you guys like it so far. Let me know. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 5: Episode 3x17

Scott didn't argue the next day when Nixie said that he was to wait for her to meet him at his house before driving to school. In fact, it made him feel better to know she would be riding beside him so he could keep her safe, just as much as he knows she intended to keep him safe.

She was slightly annoyed when he came out and immediately put a warm hand against her skin, trying to see if she was anywhere near as cold as she had been last night. But she was just Nixie again. She'd told him as much over the phone, but he apparently wanted physical confirmation. Rolling her eyes, she says, "If I was even halfway still doped out from what they did to me, I wouldn't have been able to ride my bike here without crashing. Now, can we go? Stiles is already at school and he needs to talk to us." "Right."

They were halfway down the road when two other bikes came speeding up behind them, and then riding on either side of them. Realizing it's the twins, Nixie and Scott look at each other. Scott shakes his head, and then speeds up to get ahead of them.

The twins both look at each other, then at Nixie. She simply shrugs, and they hear her say, "Looks like we're racing. Do try and keep up."

She won, obviously. Scott pulls in right beside her and asks with a grin, "Really?" "Hey, you're the one that sped up. I just followed suit." "Yeah, and then proceeded to continuously gain speed until we got here." "Speed limits were made to be broken." "Pretty sure they were made to keep us safe."

But Scott can't help but chuckle when Nixie waves a hand at him and says, "You say 'po-tay-to', I say 'po-tah-to'."

The twins roll in on either side of them, and Scott sighs and asks, "You guys gonna be doing this all day?" Ethan grins and says, "All day." And Aiden finishes, "All night." Sighing again, Scott asks, "Is this about being in my pack?" Aiden raises an eyebrow and says, "This is about you being the target of demonic ninjas."

Ethan quickly pipes in, "You mean the demonic ninjas that pulled swords out of their chests and completely kicked our asses?" Aiden nods, "Yeah. Those demonic ninjas."

Scott looks between both of them and says, "I don't need anyone to protect me. Besides, I've got Nixie." Aiden looks over at Nixie, and then says, "No offense to her, but she ended up getting her ass kicked too."

Nixie narrows her eyes at him, but then shrugs and says to Scott, "I can't really argue with that." "Maybe. But you held out the longest, in any case. If we can keep them out of the house until sunrise, I'll be fine. Besides, maybe they're not after me." Ethan gives him a look and says, "They were looking right at you when the sun came up." Scott nods, but adds, "And they also disappeared. Chris thinks they can just come out at night."

And Nixie can't help laughing when Ethan says, "Since this is our first experience with demonic ninjas, we're thinking we should play it safe." Aiden nods and adds, "All day."

Scott sighs and finishes, "And all night." Then he turns to Nixie and asks, "Are you going to try and help me talk them out of this? Like… at all?" Nixie shrugs and says, "Hey, when they say something that I find unreasonable, or stupid, I will argue with them about it. So far, I can't really disagree with them. Sorry."

He rolls his eyes, but wraps an arm around her shoulders anyway as they head inside. At his locker, Scott says to the twins, who are still dutifully following him, "Okay, one thing first though. We need to talk to Stiles and let him know everything that happened last night. Without you guys."

Aiden gives him a look and says, "No." But both boys swivel their heads to her when Nixie says, in time with Scott, "Yes." Scott grins over at her, to which she shrugs and says, "See. Now I'm arguing with them." Back to them, she says, "Given that it's daylight, and we're in school, and I'm not leaving his side right now… cut him some slack guys." Scott nods, and then adds, "And I don't want you guys listening in either. No wolf hearing."

Aiden speaks up again and asks, "How would you even know?" Scott turns to them and says, "I'm a true alpha. You have no idea what I can do." Nixie nods for added emphasis, but as they're heading down to meet Stiles, she whispers, "Nice touch." "Too much?" "On the contrary. I approve."

He grins at her, but both their smiles slip when they meet a frantic Stiles as he rounds the next corner towards them. Huffing, he says, "There you are. Come on, I have to show you guys something."

He begins explaining about the girl he danced with last night, and how she explained that he had phosphors on the new key on his keychain. And Stiles had experimented and found out that it opened the chemistry closet. And those numbers that they'd found on the chalkboard… those had been in Stiles' handwriting.

As they follow him into the room, Stiles begins walking up to the board to show them… but it's all gone. Stiles stares at it in disbelief and says, "It's gone." Scott glances at Nixie to ask if she remembers them. But upon seeing the severely worried expression on her face, he stays quiet and lets her keep her eyes on Stiles.

Stiles moves back towards them and says, "Alright. Okay, it doesn't matter though. It doesn't matter. I've still got the key." But as he gets to the closet and begins flipping through the keys… it's not there either. The key is gone. The numbers on the board are gone. All the evidence that Stiles was about to show them… it's all gone.

Still fumbling through the keys, he says, "I had it. I had it here this morning. Scott, I swear to God, I had it here this morning." Scott asks, "The key you were talking about last night?" "Yeah… yeah, I showed it to you, right? Didn't I show it to you?" Scott shakes his head, "No, you just told me about it. I never actually saw it."

Stiles honestly can't believe it. He can't make sense of it. His mind is reeling, a whirlwind of turmoil and chaos. Heading back for the board, he says, "I was here a couple of hours ago. And the message left to Barrow spelling Kira's name was right there on the board in my handwriting, and I had the key to the chemistry closet."

Scott looks at him in concern and asks, "So… you unlocked the chemistry closet so Barrow could hide in it from the cops, and then… you wrote him a message to kill Kira?" Stiles shakes his head dismally and says, "I know, I know. I know how it sounds. But look at this."

Nixie comes up beside them too, looking down at the newspaper clipping Stiles pulls out. Gesturing to it, he says, "This is the news report that came out about Barrow when they caught him. Okay? About the shrapnel bomb that he used? You see this? He used nuts, bolts, and screws. And then he hid the bomb and the detonator in a box that he wrapped as a birthday present. Guys, what does that sound like to you?"

Scott snaps his head up to look at Stiles and says, "Coach. The joke we played on Coach." Stiles nods earnestly and says, "That was my idea. Remember? That was my idea. It's no coincidence, it can't be."

As earnest as Stiles is about all of this, Scott says gently, "I don't want to sound like I'm telling you that you're wrong. But, I don't think you're trying to kill people either. Plus… wasn't everything we did to Coach, Nixie's idea."

Scott turns to her, looking for support. But her eyes are still concerned and trained on Stiles. Glancing at Scott, she takes a breath and says, "Most of it was my planning. The careful part of it anyway, where I mapped out the instructions on how to connect everything to the wire we attached to the present. But… putting all the screws and everything inside a present box… that was Stiles' idea."

Stiles nods and then glances back at the board and says, "It was here. It was all here." Scott glances over at Nixie and asks, "What do you think?" Stiles looks at her too. And even though he's basically accusing himself of causing all of this… he seems to desperately be looking for someone to agree with him.

Nixie's honestly not sure what she thinks about all of it. She knows her boy, and she knows Stiles would never actually kill anybody that was innocent. That being said…

She looks up at Scott again and says, "I can't speak to the handwriting. I wasn't paying much attention to the style of writing at the time. I was focused on the word it spelled out. But the message was there the night we came looking for evidence of Barrow."

Then she gestures to Stiles' keychain and says, "And he might not have shown you the spare key, but I saw it. I saw it first, as a matter of fact." Stiles nods earnestly at that, though he still looks back to the board in frustration and anxiety about all of this. Crumbling the paper in his hand, he says again, "It was all right here."

Scott looks at him worriedly and asks, "Are you feeling alright dude? You look really tired." Stiles sighs after a moment, still beyond frustrated, and then says, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just… I haven't been sleeping really…" Nixie was waiting for him to say 'sleeping really well' or 'sleeping really soundly'. She was expecting another word after the 'really'. But no… Stiles ended with 'not sleeping really'.

Which Nixie takes to mean, he hasn't been sleeping at all. Or at least, very little, if at all.

Stiles is still wracking his overworked and stressed out brain, trying to make sense of all this… when he feels Nixie's head press against his chest. Her arms wrap around him snuggly, holding him close as she says gently, "Stiles. You're supposed to tell me these things."

It was like all the anxiety and stress just suddenly started seeping out of his body. He'd almost forgotten that Nixie could do that. That she could practically push someone's worries and frustrations away for a while with one of her hugs.

He can't believe he forgot. He can't believe he didn't think about just talking to her and hugging her sooner. But now that she was on him, he sighs and wraps his arms around her in return. Resting his head on top of hers tiredly, he doesn't even try to argue. He just mutters, "Sorry."

Scott smiles gently at both of them, and then says to Stiles, "Why don't you go home, Stiles? Take a sick day or something. Try and get some rest." Stiles nods, and then Scott puts a hand on Nixie's shoulder and whispers just for her to hear, "Go with him please. Find a way to make him sleep. I'll see you at the house later."

Nixie nods, and then smiles up at Stiles when he finally leans back. Bending down to pick up his bag for him, Nixie keeps his arm around her shoulders and says, "Come on Stiles. Let's blow this popsicle stand." He chuckles at her, and willingly follows her back out of the school.

At his jeep, Nixie hops in beside him and asks, "So, where we going? Your house? My house? Scott's house? All wonderful possibilities. What do you think?" Stiles grins again, but as he tightens his grip on the steering wheel, he says, "Um… hospital." Nixie glances over at him in concern, but keeps her tone light when she asks, "Why? Got a headache? I have an entire bottle of ibuprofen in my bag. Say the word, and I'll pop out four for you to take."

Stiles grins once more, but then sighs and says, "I just… I need to figure out what's wrong with me. Why I can't sleep. I can take you home first, if you want. Or I mean… you don't have to go if you…" "Stiles, I'm coming with you. Where we go is up to you, but my presence is non-negotiable."

He chuckles as he cranks the jeep and asks, "Isn't is always?" "Yep. So it's about time you got used to it."

* * *

As Stiles stands at the front desk, where Melissa is looking through the possible openings for an appointment, he glances to his left, where Nixie had gone a moment ago. He'd finally confessed that, on top of being extremely tired, he was also starving. So Nixie went to grab him a snack from the vending machine while he waited with Melissa.

She's only been gone a minute… but he can feel the anxiety creeping back into his system. And if whatever was wrong with him turned out to be another thing that forced him to need to keep her close again… he was going to be seriously pissed. Not that needing Nixie close was a bad thing. Just that… he couldn't be the only one who ever needed her, and he couldn't keep hogging her time and attention himself. When it was the human-sacrificing thing; that was different. But this… he shouldn't still need her to stand next to him every hour of the day, just so he could function properly.

Melissa clicks a few more buttons on the keyboard in front of her, and then says, "Dr. Gardner's not back until next week. Do you want to try waiting for one of the urgent care doctors or…" But Stiles is already shaking his head. He glances back towards Nixie's direction, but she's not back yet. Tears welling up in his eyes, he leans back from the counter, struggling to try and figure out why exactly he feels like he's about to breakdown and fall apart right now.

Rising out of her seat, Melissa asks in concern, "Stiles? Are you alright?" Breath shaking, he answers, "I… I don't know. I guess… I guess not really." Nodding, Melissa says, "Alright. Alright kiddo. Come on with me." She puts comforting hands on him, but he stops short and says, "No. Uh… I need… where…"

Nixie rounds the corner a second later, three different bags of chips in her hands. She pauses upon seeing Stiles' severely stressed out appearance, and Melissa trying to guide him somewhere private. Nodding, Nixie hands one of the bags of chips to Stiles, slips herself under his free arm, and wraps her arm around his waist before saying, "Lead the way Melissa. I got him."

Melissa nods, watching as Stiles slumps visibly in relief when Nixie returns to his side. As they move down the hall, he says, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't…" "Stiles, shut up. You're stressed, tired, and worried sick. You do not apologize. You let me take care of you. End of discussion."

Chuckling a little as they enter the room Melissa opens for them, Stiles asks, "That easy huh?" Nixie grins up at him and says, "Piece of cake. Well… compared to everything else we always have to deal with." He chuckles again, and then looks over to Melissa's clipboard when she comes to stand by the bed. Nixie sits Stiles down on the edge, and then gestures to Melissa and says, "First step, answer the lovely nurse."

Melissa grins at her, and then asks Stiles what his symptoms are. And as he begins listing them off, Nixie now standing behind him on the other side of the bed, Melissa can't help but notice how the concern just seems to grow on her face. Blackouts, sleepwalking, anxiety, panic attacks… it wasn't good. Not at all.

Then Melissa asks, "How many hours of sleep are you getting?" "Eight." Nixie nods in approval of that answer. Whereas she could run on very little sleep when it was necessary, she did firmly believe that all the others should definitely get as much as possible. And it's not like she thought she could run on two hours of sleep a night forever. Just… she could when others most certainly could not. And Stiles was one of those people who could not.

And Melissa actually shivers when a sudden chill enters the room, after she asks, "A night?" And Stiles responds, "The last three days." Nixie's head snaps over to look at him from behind him, eyes widened slightly before narrowing again in their concern. Stiles was on the bed still, and with shaky hands he was trying to recall if he was correct on the number of hours he'd slept in the last three days.

It broke Nixie's heart. The poor thing. No wonder he was edgy. Even without all the evidence suddenly disappearing on him today… he probably would've ended up coming here.

Nodding to himself, Stiles says, "Yeah, definitely eight." Then he feels the side of the bed behind him shift, and then Nixie was behind him. Resting her side against his back, her head on the back of his left shoulder, she says, "Stiles." He nods and says, "I know. Tell you these things. I'm sorry." He reaches a hand up to his shoulder, and then smiles when Nixie puts hers there with his, lacing their fingers together.

Melissa steps away for a moment and asks, "Been feeling irritable?" Stiles nods and says, "Yeah. Well, unless I'm with Nixie. But other times… yeah. Possibly to the point of homicide." Nixie nudges his side hard, not liking how he was inferring that his irritability had anything to do with Kira's name being on the board for Barrow. Stiles squeezes her fingers in response, assuring her that he's trying to be funny.

Then Melissa asks, "Inability to focus?" Stiles nods while adding, "Yes. And no, the Adderall isn't working." "Impulsive behavior?" "More than my usual? Hard to tell. Nix?" Nixie nods against his back and says, "Yeah. You left the party last night, went to school on your own, and didn't tell me anything about it until this morning. And this is the first I'm hearing of any of this. Definitely overly impulsive of you, to keep all this from me for so long."

Stiles grins and squeezes her fingers again before looking to Melissa when she asks, "And are you having vivid dreams during the day?" Sighing, he answers, "Okay, so basically all of the above."

As Melissa walks back towards them, a needle now in hand, Stiles asks, "Do you know what this is?" "I think so." Nodding to the needle, he asks, "What's that?" Melissa looks at it too, and then asks gently, "Do you trust me?"

And his sarcastic response relieves Nixie a little when he says, "When you're not holding a needle, sure." Melissa grins, and then cleans off a sport on his bicep before saying, "It's Midazolam. A sedative."

Nixie blinks at that, not bothering to hide her confusion on why Melissa had done that. But Melissa just gives her a reassuring nod before gesturing for Nixie to pull back the covers on the bed. Nixie hops up to do that while Stiles asks, "Why'd you give me a sedative?" Melissa puts her hands on his shoulders and says, "Because you, Stiles, are one profoundly sleep-deprived young man. You need rest, and you need it now. Come on. Lie down."

As she helps him down, Nixie resituating the blankets so they cover him, Stiles asks, "Okay. Okay, how long does it take to…" And as his eyes start drifting shut against his will, he comments lightly, "Oh. Not long at all."

As he lays down in the bed, he reaches out for Nixie and says, "Nix… Scott. You have to… Scott…" Nixie nods and brings his hand up to her lips. Kissing him there lightly, she says, "I've got him Stiles. I promise. Just do what Melissa says. Okay? I'll take care of Scott." Stiles nods wearily, and then turns to Melissa, who is finishing tucking him in. He grabs her hand next, and she lets him hold it while she puts a hand to his forehead gently, brushing back some of his hair.

"Get some rest Stiles." He nods, eyes closing shut. And the last thing he says is, "Thanks mom." Melissa and Nixie both pause, Melissa brushing against his hair again before quietly clicking off the lamp and then ushering Nixie out of the room with her. Sighing, Melissa says, "Poor thing." Nixie nods, "I know. Listen, do me a favor?" Melissa nods and asks, "What's up?" "His symptoms… all of them… they sound familiar. I'm not really sure why. It's just… I feel like I remember someone mentioning them to me a long time ago. And I remember not liking it. Can you just… try and figure out if it means anything?"

Melissa nods, and then asks, "And how are you holding up?" "Me? I'm fine. Pretty sure out of everyone, I'm the most sane right now." She looks down at her phone when it buzzes, and then sighs and says, "Yeah. I'm definitely the sane one." "Why? What's going on?" Back up to Melissa, Nixie says, "Oh, nothing. Chris was working on trying to figure out a way to protect Scott, by finding a man he once saved from these creepy ninjas. Now he has to use plan B, which is to let Isaac conduct the buy while he and Alison sneak inside and find Katashi."

Running a hand through her hair, Nixie says, "And if any of them get hurt while doing that, I'm gonna be pissed, because I can't go there and help. I've got to get back to Scott before dark. You'll be home soon, right?" "Absolutely." "Good. I'll see you there."

Outside, she's pondering briefly how she's going to get back to her bike and then back to Scott's in time, when she gets a call on her phone. Glancing at it and answering, she says, "Hey Noah. What's up?" "I need a favor. It shouldn't take too long. I'm conducting one last interview before I make my final decisions on the new hires. And I know I've gotten you to look at all of them so far and I hate to bug you about it again, but…"

From his office, Noah grins when Nixie says, "Noah, if I hadn't wanted to help you out by telling you if I like these guys or not, I wouldn't have offered. You are going to have to do one small thing for me though." "What's that?"

"Can you come and get me? I'm stranded right now, since I left my bike at school. But if you can do that, I'm all yours."

* * *

The young man was a bit nervous as he sat in the main office, waiting for Sheriff Noah Stilinski to return from a brief step out of the office. A bit… but not overly nervous. Interviews for new jobs and new positions, particularly the ones you found yourself really wanting, were always a cause for nerves of some sort. But he knew he was more than qualified for the job, which helped keep him calm and level-headed. He'd served two tours in Afghanistan as an EOD technician, was a certified HDT (Hazardous Device Technician), and he knew the reviews of his superiors from his last station were practically glowing.

Not that he let that go to his head. No, he knew that he wasn't the only qualified young man looking for a job in Beacon Hills. But… he knew he had a few points in his favor that were rare and would stand out on his resume. He was really hoping that would help secure him a position here. He couldn't really even explain it himself. He was just… drawn here. He wanted to be here.

In fact… it almost felt like he needed to be here.

Shaking himself out of that train of thought, he turns to look at the main door when it opens to reveal the sheriff walking in, holding the door open for a moment to let a young woman step inside before him. Her hair was up in a ponytail, though some strands were hanging to frame her face. She was wearing a leather jacket, dark-wash jeans, and boots. But it was her eyes, more than anything else, that this young man found rather striking. Vibrant and bright blue, they seemed to shine that much brighter as she smiled at something the sheriff had just said, before she began laughing.

He's not sure why he even noticed so much about her. As an officer, he was observant, sure… but he hadn't noticed anyone else quite as much as her since he'd gotten into town.

In any case, he watches them as the sheriff walks towards his office, opening the door for her and stepping inside for a bit. Some people might be offended at being ignored when they'd shown up early for their interview, but this young man didn't mind. He was ten minutes early, and the sheriff was a busy man. He was dealing with crimes that, to his knowledge, he wasn't sure how anyone else would've handled any better solving. He also knows that the sheriff is dealing with a rather high police mortality rate right now, which can't be easy for him to handle.

All in all, he doesn't mind waiting. He knows there are more important things going on here, than an interview for a new deputy hire.

Inside the office, Noah sits down, and then gestures back out to the main room and says, "That's him, by the way. Young man sitting on the couch by the door." Nixie glances back, catching sight of him through the blinds in Noah's windows.

She felt her heart skip a beat, which was odd enough by itself. Her heart didn't skip beats. Well, unless it was for something bad. Which brought her to the other odd occurrence she found herself in at the moment. She liked him.

A lot.

Already.

All the other potential deputies that Noah had brought in, Nixie had seen. And she'd always needed at least five or ten seconds to really make sure she had a good feel on whether or not she liked them or not. That was, in all honesty, the typical timeframe that revolved around her sixth sense. It had never taken long, not in any sense.

That being said… it had also never been so instantaneous either. But she felt no hesitation in her mind or in her heart. She liked this man. She liked him a lot.

Enough that her heart skipped a beat. Yeah… that was definitely something she'd have to look into later. She doesn't even think she ever felt this strongly about Stiles and Scott. And they were her boys, so this made absolutely no sense. At least, not in her mind anyway.

Stepping up to the door, Nixie looks him over as he waits their patiently for his interview. Most of the others had been fidgety and nervous. If they weren't that, then they were overly confident, almost to the point of seeming narcissistic. Nixie didn't like any of those. But this one… he seemed a good balance between the two. He had an air of experience about him, for sure… but he didn't look like he thought that somehow guaranteed him a position in this office.

Apart from that, he looked, physically, like he'd make a good officer. Long legs, leading up a tall frame. Muscular, from what she could tell beneath the dress shirt and tie he was currently wearing. He's white with short hair that is a dark reddish-brown, though Nixie leans more towards the idea that it's brown.

And he has kind eyes. Nixie's not sure why that in particular stands out to her. He just… his hazel eyes have a calm and patient look about them. Like, as well as simply being a good officer, he could also make a hell of a negotiator or interrogator. Not like the mean ones, who ask questions, take names, and lay down the law. But a kind one… the one you'd want questioning you after you watched a dear friend or loved one die. He looked like someone who would be able to question you about it, and you wouldn't feel like crying and screaming and curling into a ball and dying.

Nixie blinks herself back to the present, away from her somehow in-depth perusal of this man's appearance. Turning back to Noah, who is leaning forward against his desk, waiting on a verdict from her, Nixie says, "I like him." "Good. Because I have one more spot to fill, and only one more interview to give." She nods at that, and then turns back to the man while asking, "Can he be one of the ones you put nearer your office? You know, near the main door?"

Noah leans back in surprise, but nods and says, "Sure. Any particular reason why?" Nixie shrugs, but then says, "I'm not really sure… but out of everyone you've interviewed this whole time… I like him the best." "Really?" Nixie nods without hesitation and says, "He's a good man. He'll make a good cop."

Back to Noah, she asks, "You need me for anything else?" "No, that was it. Where you heading after this?" "To get my bike. And then I'm heading to Scott's house. Shit's getting weird again." "Really? I hadn't noticed."

At Nixie's surprised smile, Noah chuckles and asks, "What? You think Stiles got all his sarcasm from his mother?" "Just most of it."

Noah laughs heartily at the joke, and then nods and says, "Thanks Nixie. I'll be sure to set him near the front. If you don't mind, could you send him in on your way out?" "Sure thing. By the way, what's his name?"

"Parrish. His name is Jordan Parrish."

Stepping out the door, Nixie walks up Parrish and asks, "Jordan Parrish?" He looks up at her, and then rises to his feet. Nodding slightly, he extends his hand and says, "Yeah, that's me. Pleasure to meet you Miss…" Taking his hand in hers, Nixie manages to say, "Nixie Haven."

She feels a sort of jolt rush up her arm through his touch. Not uncomfortable, but certainly different and new. She was always cold, even if she didn't really feel that way to herself. But she knew that, to everyone else, she ran a bit colder than most other people. But the touch of his hand, the gentle grip he had on her.

Her insides were starting to warm up in a way that she most definitely couldn't ignore. It felt good. Really good.

Pulling her hand back eventually, she shakes herself back to the present and says, "But… um, Nixie is fine. Just Nixie." Parrish grins and says, "Very well. Just Nixie." She smiles again and says, "I only tell you my name because, you'll probably see me here a lot. Anyways, Noah's ready for you now."

Parrish nods, but Nixie pauses in walking away. Turning back to him before he steps in, she says, "Um… but don't you call him Noah. Okay? I get special treatment. I always call him Noah. But you should probably call him Stilinski for now." He nods again, but asks, "Out of curiosity, am I going to be in trouble if I do call him Noah?" "Oh no! You'll be fine. It's just… I introduce him as Noah, and then people think, 'oh, well he likes to be called Noah'. And that's really just me. Everyone else calls him Sheriff or Stilinski."

Tilting his head curiously, Parrish asks, "Why do you call him Noah then?" Nixie laughs a little and says, "Um… that requires a more in-depth conversation that you don't have time for right now. But, in any case, he's waiting for you. Good luck." "Thanks Nixie." She gives him one last smile, and then heads out the door while Parrish steps into Noah's office.

Shaking her head again as she walks down the road, she sighs and says, "Okay, we'll work that out later. Right now, Scott. Get to Scott's house. Keep the demonic ninjas from trying to suck out his soul and freeze him to death. Yeah. That's definitely the priority."

* * *

She pulled into the drive the same time as Melissa. And as they're both headed for the door, Nixie got a text from Derek that said, _"I'm right here. Eyes on your boy. He's been safe so far. But the sun's going down."_ Nixie nods to herself and whispers, "Thanks Derek," knowing that wherever he is, he heard her.

Then, as they get inside, Nixie and Melissa hear Rafe arguing with Scott and Kira about something. Nixie didn't catch the whole of it. She hears Scott from outside, telling Rafe, "No, you're not my father. You're a gene donor. I got my hair color from you. And that's all I got. So you're not allowed to play tough dad with me."

"Damn straight." All heads turn towards Nixie as she moves into the room. She roughly shoves past Rafe, completely unnecessary, but done anyway. Moving to stand with Scott, she sees Rafe's computer screen, and the picture of Scott and Kira on the front, from when Kira had to charge her phone before removing the pictures. Making a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat, Nixie says, "On a side note, that's a nice security measure. I wonder how I can get that?"

Scott gives her a look, but isn't able to completely hide his grin of amusement from her. She just winks at him, and then looks back to the parents when Melissa asks, "What's going on?" Rafe just looks to the kids and says, "Maybe one of you should explain, since I'm pretty sure that, Nixie, you were also involved in this."

Nixie tilts her head and asks, "Involved in what exactly?" "Breaking into the evidence locker… which is also my office, consequently." Nixie shrugs and says, "I don't recall breaking into anything. Scott? You remember breaking into any rooms or busting down any doors?" Scott shakes his head, and Nixie turns back to Rafe and says, "Nope. Pretty sure we don't know what you're talking about."

Rafe points to his laptop and says, "I have the picture on my laptop, telling me someone opened it and used it." "And your laptop is always in that office there? You never take it out? You never take it home with you? You never take it anywhere else?"

He pauses at that, and Nixie shrugs her shoulders and says, "Picture's pretty dark, aside from the light on Kira and Scott's faces. My opinion? Could've been anywhere." Hardening her eyes into a glare, Nixie says, "Now, why don't you do us all a favor, and get the hell out. Come back with a warrant, or with more evidence that something was stolen from you. Until then, leave my boy and my girl, alone."

Kira turns to look at her upon being called one of Nixie's 'girls'. It brings a smile to her face, and judging from the way Scott grins and winks at her, Kira can guess that it's definitely a great thing to be.

Then she notices the darkness settling outside, and consequently, all around them. Frowning and trembling a little, Kira says, "Scott… Nixie…" They both look at her, and then look out the window at the darkness too. Their time in the sun was up. Night was upon them. Melissa needed to seal the house. And Rafe needed to get the hell out.

It would've still been possible, if the demon ninjas had waited at least a few more seconds before showing up. But not tonight. As soon as the sun was gone, they appeared within the shadows of the house.

Rafe follows the kids' eyes to the window, and then looks back to them, focusing on Nixie. For her part, she'd gone from simply being verbally defensive of Kira and Scott, to visibly alert and on guard. Her eyes were darting around the room, looking for danger. Why she should suddenly be doing that, Rafe has no idea.

Then he looks past them into the living room, where a stranger in black is now standing. Frowning and moving around them, Rafe asks, "Who the hell is this?"

But before they can answer, and before Nixie can stop him from moving forward, another ninja appears behind Rafe and prepares to run him through.

Scott has never been more grateful that Nixie's first instinct it to always… always… protect them and what is theirs. She might not be fond of Rafe. She might've thrown the man into a stair railing. She might've threatened to hurt him beyond measure if he ever came close to hurting one of her boys ever again.

But Rafe was still Scott's father. And whether she was fond of him or not, that put the man under her protection.

Which is why, instead of the samurai sword running through Rafe's heart, Nixie managed to use her daggers and knock the sword away. She couldn't deflect it entirely. This ninja had appeared too fast and suddenly for that to be possible. But she managed to make it so Rafe didn't die instantly. He was still hurt, and pretty badly from the look of it. But he wasn't dead yet.

Melissa dives down towards him as he falls and hits the ground. Scott snarls and his teeth start lengthening as the ninjas turn towards him. Nixie twirls her daggers, facing one of them while standing in front of Kira, daring it to try and get past her again. She had failed Aiden yesterday, but Aiden wasn't technically hers. She would not fail Kira or Scott. Not today.

Then the door in the hall opens, and as Melissa drags Rafe out of harm's way, Derek slides into the room, already wolfed out and ready for a fight. Roaring at the nearest ninja, he takes it on while Scott goes after another while shouting, "Mom, the ash!"

Nixie and the one before her are going at it, metal clashing repeatedly as she uses her daggers to deflect him away from Kira. But another appeared behind them, so Nixie turned and pushed Kira back into a corner, keeping herself in front of her… a human shield that was going to die before they got through her.

It's not lost on her, or on Kira, that for a brief moment, both of the ninjas pause. They glance at each other, as though silently asking if they were really about to do this.

Apparently they were, because they started coming at them again just a moment later. Fortunately… that's also when the twins broke through the dining room window, landing on the table. Growling in unison, they attack the two ninjas that had been coming towards Nixie and Kira. Rolling her eyes, Nixie says, "About time you showed up."

While they handle those two ninjas, throwing them back out the windows, Nixie rushes to Scott's side. When she sees he's got his, she hurries towards Derek, who is struggling with shoving his ninja out the door. As Scott gets his back outside, he shouts, "Mom, do it now!"

Melissa jumps up and is ready, but pauses when Nixie says, "Wait!" Derek shoves his ninja hard towards the door, and when the ninja manages to catch himself and tries to remain in the house, Nixie drop kicks him in the chest, sending him falling back onto the porch. Nodding, Nixie says, "Now!"

Melissa throws down the jar of mountain ash in the doorway, watching as it forms into a protective line that seals the entire house in a supernatural barrier. Those that are inside are stuck inside… but those that are out are stuck out.

As Scott moves to join Derek and Nixie at the door, Derek asks, impressed, "All of the baseboards are ash wood?" Scott nods and says, "Uh, yeah. It was Deaton's… well, it was Nixie and Deaton's idea." Derek looks to Nixie, who shrugs and says, "Scott's a true alpha. He ever really needs to get out of here, he'll break the seal. In any case, we definitely don't want to leave right now."

Derek nods to that, and then looks up when Scott asks, "And where the hell did you come from?" "I've been following you." Blinking in surprise, Scott asks, "For how long?" "All day." When Scott still looks surprised, Derek just points to Nixie and says, "I told Nix."

Scott looks to Nixie and asks, "You knew he was following me all day?" She nods, and then shrugs and asks, "What? Look, I let you ditch the twins earlier, but I was not about to just let you up and leave everyone behind so you could come here by yourself and possibly get yourself killed. Geez. Like you actually thought I was gonna let that happen. Let's be real here."

Then they both turn when Melissa says, "Guys! This isn't good!" Looking up at both of them when they reach her, Melissa says, "We need to get him on a bed. I need to elevate his shoulder and chest." Nixie nods and says, "Scott, I've got his legs if you've got his left side. Melissa, you get his right."

They work together to get him onto Scott's bed. As Melissa continues to apply pressure, they hear Rafe mutters, "Need… to call for backup." Ignoring his request, Scott grabs another towel from the nearby bathroom and hands it to his mom so she can continue. Shaking his head in disbelief, Scott asks, "How bad is it?" Melissa shakes her head also and says, "From the way that his arm is rotated, the tendon looks torn. He could be on his way to a collapsed lung."

Scott runs his hands through his hair and says, "Mom, those things, they're not going to leave until the sun's up." "I know sweetie. But at the rate he's bleeding, he's not going to make it that long. We have to get him to the hospital." "Should we call Stiles' dad?" "I don't know. Is that going to just get more people hurt?" "Maybe. I don't think guns work on them." "Then what does?"

Scott shrugs, but then turns to Nixie and asks, "Do you think you could stall them? Long enough for us to get him out?" Nixie shrugs and says, "I could try. But there are at least five of them. And if I'm the only one that can cross the barrier to try and stop them from attacking while we get your dad out… I don't think I can distract all five. Two, maybe, but then the other three would go after your mom and dad."

As Scott grits his teeth, Nixie looks to Melissa and asks, "What can we do to buy him time? Chris is working on seeing if there's a solution to this, a way to hurt these things. What can we do until they have an answer on that?" Melissa sighs and says, "We need to slow his bleeding, which means we need to slow his heartrate. There are painkillers downstairs that might help." Nodding, Nixie says, "I'm on that. Scott, stay with her until I get back."

Racing down the stairs, she grabs the bottle of pills from the downstairs bathroom. She pauses on her way back up though when she sees the twins with Kira, interrogating her, trying to figure out what she is. As they encroach on her, Kira trembling a little in fear, she relaxes when both boys immediately step back when Nixie shouts, "Hey!"

Turning to see Nixie, relaxing even more, Kira comes over to her and says, "I don't…" "I know you don't know what you are. It's all good. These two are just idiots." Glaring at the twins again, she says, "Why do I have to remind you that we do not hurt the people I like? In particular, we do not hurt anyone that I've called mine. And Kira is one of my girls. So get over yourselves, and try asking questions like a couple of gentlemen, rather than like serial killing stalkers."

She turns to leave, but pauses when Derek says, "Or just ask me." Raising an eyebrow at him, Nixie asks, "You know what she is?" Nodding, he shines his eyes and says, "She's a kitsune." To the twins, he says, "If they'd used their eyes, they would know that. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn't learned to conceal it yet."

To Nixie, he says, "And judging from the surprised look on both of your faces, she probably doesn't know what kind she is either." Nixie nods, but then holds up a hand and says, "Okay, so wait. A kitsune? What is that, in like, English?" Derek grins at her in amusement, but then says, "Basically… a were-fox."

Nixie blinks at him, and then asks in bewilderment, "A were-fox? A fox? A supernatural fox? That's a thing? We actually have those?" Derek raises an eyebrow at her, and then chuckles when she rolls her eyes and says, "Of course we do. We have werewolves, were-coyotes, and now were-foxes. What comes next? A were-cat?" When Derek makes to open his mouth and comment, Nixie raises a hand again and says, "Don't. I don't even want to hear it right now. Just… watch her, and make sure these two don't do anything stupid while I'm upstairs."

Back in Scott's room, Nixie gestures to the door and says, "Scott, you should go be with Kira. Make sure the twins remember that she's off limits." He nods, and then asks, "My dad? Can you… I mean… are you sure…" "He is not going to die Scott. I won't let him."

Then she offers him a slight smile and says gently, "Hell will freeze over first." Scott smiles in return, and then heads on out of the room. Moving to Melissa's side, Nixie says, "Here. Get him some water and feed him the pills. I'll put pressure here."

Melissa heads to the bathroom to get some water. Rafe turns his head to look up at Nixie, who has taken to applying pressure to his wound.

She glances to his face when he says, "I thought… you didn't like me." Nixie nods and says, "I don't." Applying more pressure to help stop the bleeding, Nixie then adds, "But I love your son. And even if it is only because you're blood-related to him… you do matter in some sense to him."

Moving her hands, applying pressure differently and sighing in relief when a little more blood stops flowing, Nixie says, "Which means, whether I'm really fond of you or not right now, you matter to me too."

Melissa comes back and gives him the pills. Rafe then turns to her and says, "I need to speak to Scott." Melissa just gives him a look and asks, "You're kidding right?" "Don't patronize me… Melissa. You know why… You know why I really came back. Don't you?"

Putting a hand to his face, sighing at the heat all around him, she says, "And as usual, your timing sucks. You're not talking to him. Not like this. So… you stay awake. And we're gonna get you out of here as fast as we can."

Nixie, silent through this whole matter, turns her head sharply when she hears Scott speak from downstairs, "Nixie, we need you down here. Now."

Rafe turns to her when he feels her move, and he asks, "What? What's…" Turning back to him, Nixie says, "Sniper breathing. Heard of it?" He gives her a confused look, so Nixie explains, "Breathe in. Hold that breath for about two seconds. Breathe it back out slowly. Repeat the process. It'll calm your heartrate, which will slow the blood flow, which will buy you more time."

Nodding for Melissa to take back over with the compression on the wound, Nixie then looks down at Rafe sternly and says, "And make no mistake. If you die on me before we get you to a hospital for help, I'll kill you."

Rafe blinks at her again in confusion, but as she walks away, Melissa says, "Don't worry. Just her way of saying you really shouldn't die on her right now. She'll be pissed." "Noted."

Downstairs, Nixie asks, "What?" "Look."

The demonic ninjas are beating against the barrier, searching for weaknesses. And from the looks of the hand that is pushing dangerously close towards them… it looks like they might've found one.

Son of a bitch.

Nodding to herself, Nixie says, "Time's up." Pulling out her phone, she calls Alison, praying that she's not calling at a bad time.

When Alison picks up, she asks, "Nixie? What's…" "No time for small talk. Demonic ninjas are here. They're trying to get into Scott's house. And from the looks of it, they might actually be able to. Tell me what you got." "Okay, listen. They're Japanese demons. They're called the Oni."

Nixie blinks at that name and asks, "Oni? That's a terrible name." Alison rolls her eyes, but still smiles on the other end of the phone and says, "Anyway. They're looking for someone possessed. Someone with a dark spirit attached to them." Scott, listening from beside Nixie, says, "A Nogitsune."

When Nixie gives him a confused look, he says, "I just learned about it. Kira told me about it." "Noted. Alison, what else?" "They won't hurt you. At least, that's not their intention if you're not the dark spirit. What they've been doing, up to this point, is basically a check. They know who's supernatural and who's not, and once they do this check, and realize that you're not carrying with you this dark spirit, they won't hurt you. I promise. All they want is the Nogitsune."

Nodding, Nixie says, "Thanks Alison. I'll keep you posted." Hanging up, she turns to Scott and asks, "What do you want to do?" Kira comes up to them too and says, "I'm right, aren't I? They're looking for me." Scott shakes his head and says, "They're looking for a dark spirit. And I know it's not you." "How?! How can you possibly…" "Because Nixie wouldn't be friends with you if you were."

Kira blinks at that, but Scott nods earnestly and says, "She doesn't just become friends with anybody. It's… she's got a way about her. Maybe not always a guarantee on the people she doesn't like. But on the people she likes from the start, I've never seen her wrong. If she likes you right off, then you're definitely a good person. So it's not you. I know it's not you."

Then they all turn as Derek says, "Scott, we're gonna have to do something."

The Oni break the seal on the house, and as they slowly step in, Nixie looks to Scott again and asks, "What do you want me to do? You and Kira can get a head start out of here. With all four of us, we can kick their asses long enough for that."

But Scott shakes his head, thinking it through. Then he simply says, "Don't do anything." Nixie gives him a look, and doesn't even argue when Aiden asks, "Is he serious?" Nixie looks in Scott's eyes, and then says, "Very. Scott? They…" But Scott shakes his head and says, "Don't do anything."

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Scott says, "Just catch Kira before she hits the ground. We'll be cleared. I know it."

Then he takes Kira's hand, and says gently, "Trust me." Kira nods, and then they both move to the front, presenting themselves to the Oni willingly.

Nixie still doesn't like the process, or the fact that Scott and Kira both end up on their knees and are both going to end up freezing. But… the fact that they don't fight it anymore makes everything a lot smoother that it had been with everyone else before. No fighting, no weapons being pulled out of chests. The Oni just reach out and put a hand to the side of Scott and Kira's heads. They perform their search. And when all is said and done, they mark both of them with the same symbol as the others, and then drop and let them go.

Aiden watched as Nixie put herself behind Kira, ready to catch her before she could hit the hard floor. So he moved over to Scott to do the same. And as soon as the Oni were done, they both caught them and then slowly lowered them to the ground.

Looking up at Derek, Nixie says, "Stay with her. Warm her up. Keep her safe." He nods instantly, and then Nixie turns to Ethan and Aiden. Gesturing to Scott, she says, "Do what you have to so his healing process is triggered. Then help me get Mr. McCall back downstairs. We need to get him to the hospital. I'll call nine-one-one."

* * *

As they race in, Rafe now on a gurney, Melissa shouts to the waiting M.E.s, "Hey! Stab wound to the left chest. Possible collapsed lung. Pulse is weak."

The doctors hurriedly roll him away, and as Melissa works on gathering her bearings, Scott puts a hand on her shoulder and says, "Nixie and I will find Stiles." Nixie nods, and then gives Melissa a quick and tight hug before saying, "He's gonna be fine Melissa. I promise." Melissa hugs her back for a moment, and then releases her and sends them off down the hall to find Stiles, wherever he's gotten to at this point. The sedative should've definitely worn off, but the jeep was still parked outside. So if he's not in the room where they left him, he shouldn't be too far.

When they find him, standing in an empty room, just staring at the double doors in front of him, Nixie finds herself drawing up short just inside the room. Scott ventures further, not noticing her hesitation, as he asks, "Stiles? You okay?"

Nixie isn't sure what's happening. Usually, when she immediately felt that she hated someone or didn't like someone, it was an easy thing to understand. But this… this made no sense to her.

Her radar, her sixth sense… whatever you wanted to call it. The second she walked into the room, it practically screamed at her that the young man standing before her was an enemy, a threat, and someone that she needed to keep away from Scott. The instinct to put herself between the two boys was almost so overpowering that she moved to actually do it.

But now, a few seconds later, as Stiles turns around and says, "Yeah, fine." Well… Nixie doesn't feel that way anymore. He's her boy again.

Of course he's her boy. Stiles is always her boy, same as Scott. Blinking in confusion, not understanding it one bit, she waits at the door while Stiles asks, "What's been going on?" Coming up to her, smiling a little, he puts a hand on her shoulder and says, "Hey. Kept him safe, did you?"

Relaxing a little, Nixie says, "Obviously. Kind of my specialty." Stiles chuckles, but then asks in concern, "Hey, you okay? You look a bit pale, even for you." Nixie nods after a moment of thought and says, "I… yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Are you… are you sure you're good?"

For a brief moment, a flash of that bad feeling returns. And Nixie isn't certain, but she would almost swear that she saw something in Stiles' eyes change. As though he were somehow glaring at her with actual hate.

But it was gone before it could be confirmed, and he smiled again and said, "Yeah. I feel great, actually. Melissa's shot did the trick. So… you guys gonna fill me in? What's happening?"

As he wraps an arm around her shoulders, Nixie decides that maybe she just needs to finally get a full night's sleep as well. With everything that's been happening, back to back, so far this week… she probably just needs to unwind for a while. Do something normal, like homework or watch a movie with her boys. Yeah, that's it. Everything's fine now.

Everything is just fine.

* * *

And here is Chapter 5! And our first ever sighting of Jordan Parrish! Woohoo! And as always, Chapter 6 will follow as soon as I can get it ready. Hope you guys are enjoying!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 6: Episode 3x18

Nixie was actually sound asleep in her apartment when her phone began going off. She'd been getting a lot more sleep lately, trying to figure out if her lack of it could account for all the instances in which she felt Stiles couldn't be trusted anymore. They were seldom and far between, which she took as a good sign. But still… they were happening.

Anyways, she wakes up as it goes off. And upon seeing Stiles name, she answers and says, "Hey Stiles. Still worried about the exam tomorrow?" There's no response to her question, just some static across the line. Frowning, Nixie asks, "Stiles? You there?"

She can hear him breathing over the phone now, and she tosses the covers onto the floor. Slipping into a pair of tennis shoes, she haphazardly starts pulling her jacket on as she says, "Stiles." "Nixie?"

The broken and worried sound of his voice was terrifying. Nixie grabbed her keys and the wallet from her bag, shoved them in her sweatpants pocket, and then took off out of the apartment. "I'm here Stiles. I'm here, what's wrong?"

The apartment manager, who was supposed to technically be her guardian, stepped out of his main office to watch her leave. He had been keeping stricter tabs on her whereabouts as of late. Apparently some things had been shifted in the contract her mother had signed years ago. Money was moving into different places now, ensuring that her mother would stay at Eichen. And apparently, the manager thought he was going to be out of money next. And technical guardian or not, Nixie knows she won't be staying here any longer if he's not paid for the room.

She doesn't care. As he tries to look at her sternly, obviously showing he disapproves her leaving at this hour of the night, Nixie flips him the bird while hopping on her bike. Stiles, over the phone, says, "Nixie… I don't… I don't know where I am. I don't know how I got here. I think… I think I was sleepwalking."

Revving the engine, Nixie says, "Alright. Just talk to me Stiles. Do you see anything? Tell me what's around you." "Ah… it's dark. It's hard to see." "Just try Stiles. Try for me." "I… I can't… it's too dark. And I think there's something wrong with my…"

As the line goes dead, Nixie jerks the phone from her ear to see what happened. But on her end, everything is fine. She has a good signal, and plenty of battery in her phone. Whatever's wrong… it's on Stiles' end.

Which makes it that much worse, because Nixie can't fix that.

The manager has nearly reached her side, maybe to try and assert some sort of authority over her. Yeah… he should've tried that back when he'd first been given guardianship over her. It would've made it matter more now. In any case, she burns rubber peeling out of the parking lot and onto the road.

She thinks about calling Scott to warn him that she's coming and to tell him about Stiles, but opts for continuously trying to call Stiles back. All she keeps getting is his voicemail though. Cursing inside her helmet, she breaks the speed limit again, going much farther above it then she thinks she's ever gone.

At Scott's house, she drops her bike to lean against the porch. And thank God she has a key, because she doesn't think she'd be willing to pick the lock at this point. She'd just kick it in and apologize later. Opening it up and sprinting up the stairs, she shouts, "Scott! Scott, wake up now!"

He opens his bedroom door as she reaches it, and he's about to ask what's wrong, when Nixie's phone rings again. Answering, Nixie asks desperately, "Stiles?" "Nixie… I don't think I can get out of here." Putting the phone on speaker, Nixie says, "I'm with Scott, Stiles. Talk to us. Tell us where you are."

Scott's eyes widen and he snaps his attention to the phone as Stiles says in fear, "I don't know. I don't know, it's too dark. I can't see much. And something's wrong with my leg. It's stuck on something… Nixie I can't move it. I think it's bleeding." Scott leans forward and asks, "How bad? Stiles, how bad is it?"

When he doesn't respond, Nixie clutches her phone tighter and asks, "Stiles? Stiles, are you there? Can you hear us? Stiles, talk to me, please!" He takes in a gasping breath over the phone, and then says, "Ah, there's some kind of smell down here. Something smells terrible. It's brutal, my eyes are watering."

Nixie looks up at Scott and says, "Call Noah." But then Stiles exclaims, "No! No, no, don't." "Stiles, we have…" "No, Nix please. Just don't call him. Promise you won't. He already worries too much about us. Nix, please." Shaking her head, Nixie says, "What if we can't find you? Stiles, I am not losing you because you don't want to worry Noah. I can't…" "No, Nix, please! Please don't call him. Just come find me. You can do it, I know you can. Both of you. Dad doesn't have to know. Please just come find me."

Nixie runs a frantic hand through her hair, which is down and a mess since she hadn't taken the time to put it up on her way out. Looking to Scott, she asks, "Can you?" "I don't know. Stiles, I don't…" But Stiles cuts them off and says, "I gotta call you back. I have to turn the phone off." Shaking her head again, Nixie says, "No, Stiles! Stay on the phone! Don't you…" "I have to. I'm gonna call you right back." "Stiles!"

As the line dies again, Nixie visibly starts shaking. So badly that Scott takes the phone from her and shoves it into her pocket before gripping her shoulders. Shaking her a bit, he says, "Hey. We'll find him. Go wake up Isaac."

Nodding, she moves down the hall and bangs on the door. "Isaac! Isaac get…" He opens the door immediately, already dressed and hastily pulling on a jacket. "I heard you holler for Scott. What's going on?" "It's Stiles. We… we don't know… we just…" Isaac nods and says, "Hey. We'll find him. Whatever's wrong, we'll fix it."

Nixie nods to that, and as they all start rushing downstairs, her phone rings again. Snapping it to her ear, Nixie asks, "Stiles?!" "Did you call him? Did you call my dad?" "Stiles, no. No, I've got Isaac and Scott. We're coming to find you, Stiles. Give us something. Where are you? Tell us anything. Anything at all." Stiles pants for a moment, but then says, "It's… it's a basement. I… I don't know, some kind of basement." "Come on Stiles, think for me. A basement in a house?" "No… no, it's bigger. Like industrial. I think there's a furnace here too. But it's cold. So cold Nixie."

Then he gasps and says, "I gotta… I gotta turn the phone off, it's going to die." "No. No, Stiles, you stay with me." "Nixie, I can't…" Scott leans forward now and says, "Stiles, we need more. What do you see?" "I can't talk. The phone's dying." And then he adds, in an even quieter voice, "I have to go."

Even both werewolves are having trouble hearing him over the phone, so Scott asks, "Stiles, why are you whispering?" He takes a terrified breath, and then says, "Because I think there's someone in here with me."

The phone would've fallen and busted apart on the ground if Isaac hadn't caught it. While Scott had been focusing on Stiles and the conversation, Isaac had been staring at Nixie, watching her hand. The more Stiles talked, the more terrified his voice got; the more visibly Nixie could be seen shaking. At least to him, who was watching her that closely.

She stares at a spot on the floor for about a second more, and then shakes her head and says, "Come on." Scott asks, "Where? A basement doesn't give us much. We could start at the sheriff's station, but…" "No, that basement doesn't have a furnace. We're going to Stiles' house."

As they get outside, Isaac asks, "Why?" "To find his scent for both of you. You're going to track him, find him, and bring him home." As they're loading up on the bikes, Scott nods towards Nixie and says to Isaac, "Ride with her. Make sure she doesn't crash. But don't try to tell her to slow down. You'll only piss her off right now." "On it."

When they get to the house, rushing up to Stiles' room, Nixie stares in confusion when they find Lydia and Aiden already in the room. Scott busts in after her and asks, "How did you know? Did he call you too?" Lydia shakes her head and looks to Nixie and says, "I heard it."

Aiden looks to the others and says, "Don't ask. It gets more confusing when you ask." Turning back to the room, Lydia says, "Not as confusing as this."

The entire room is covered in red strings of yarn, all of which are connected and tied to a pair of scissors that are stabbed into the center of his bed. As Nixie looks around the room in confusion and worry, Lydia comments, "He uses red for unsolved cases." Nixie nods while Aiden says, "Maybe he thinks he's part of an unsolved case?" Then Isaac adds, "Or is an unsolved case."

Lydia then looks at all three of them, noticing that one is missing, and asks, "Wait. Is he still out there?" When Scott nods, Lydia exclaims, "You don't know where he is?" Nixie snaps her attention to Lydia and says, "We wouldn't have barged into his room this late at night if we knew where he was."

Scott holds up a hand to Lydia when she makes to speak, and then says, "Stiles said he was in an industrial basement somewhere." Isaac nods and says, "Nixie brought us here to get a better scent." Nodding, Lydia turns to Nixie and asks, "What else did he say?"

Sighing and taking a breath, Nixie says, "Something's wrong with his leg. He said it was bleeding. He's freezing." And then Aiden says, "Tonight's the coldest night of the year. It's gonna drop into the twenties." Snapping her eyes to him, Nixie says, "I am painfully aware of that. Shut up unless you have helpful information to provide."

Lydia moves closer to Nixie. Putting her hands on Nixie's shoulders, she asks, "What did his dad say?" Nixie blinks and asks, "Noah's not here?" "No, why?" "I didn't call him yet! I thought he'd be here and I'd tell him while Isaac and Scott were looking for a scent!" Running a hand through her hair again, she looks to Aiden again when he says, "His jeep's gone, by the way. Does that help?"

Nixie just sends both hands through her hair before saying, "Help my sanity? No. Help us think about how far he might've gotten? Yeah. Son of a bitch!"

She takes a moment to think all this through, and then sighs and says, "If Noah's not here, he's at the station. Isaac and Scott, you're with me. We'll tell Noah there." Scott comes up to her and says, "Nixie, Stiles asked us to promise not to…" Spinning to look at him, Nixie says, "He's bleeding, freezing, and we have no idea where he is. Every single option we have to find him is going to be exhausted. That includes Noah. Promise or no promise. He can fuss about it later, after we've found him."

Turning to Lydia and Aiden, she says, "You two stay here. Figure it out." Lydia nods, but Aiden blinks in confusion and asks, "Figure what out?" Nixie and Lydia just look at each other, and then Nixie says, "Just figure it out Lydia. Figure out why you're here. Keep me posted." "I will. Have you tried…" "Yeah, I tried locating him with the GPS. He cut his damn phone off. Even while he was talking, the signal was too weak."

Heading for the door, Nixie says, "Come on. We're going to the station." As they head out, Lydia asks, "Nixie, do you want a different shirt?" "Nope. No time." "Nixie, you'll freeze."

"Not before hell does first."

* * *

Jordan wasn't sure what to think when Nixie and her two friends came bursting into the station. After he'd been hired, he'd seen her and the young boy named Stiles coming in before. They're presence, apparently, was a constant that could always be counted on.

But not usually this late at night. And never looking like she'd just rolled right out of bed to get here. She was quite a vision though, in any case. Hair tossed and wind-blown, tank top hugging her curves, jacket hanging half off one shoulder, sweatpants low on her hips. To some it looked like a bum outfit. On her… it just looked like she was rushed, hurried, and in no mood to take the time to look any more fashionable than she currently was.

Not that he should've noticed any of that, which he tells himself as he shakes himself back to the present. But that doesn't help. Cause now he's looking at her eyes. And the look he sees there… has him rising to his feet in concern. Red rimmed on the bottom, tears seeming to be welling up inside, and there was… somehow an enraged terror that seemed to rest there. Like she was scared, but also so completely pissed off about it at the same time.

They didn't stop by his desk, which was near the front of the room. They didn't even knock on Noah's door. Nixie threw it open and walked right inside. And when Noah wasn't already inside, she came back out, her teeth gritting together so hard that he could see a vein standing out on the side of her neck. Rounding his desk to come up to them, Jordan asks, "Nixie? What's…" "Where's Noah?"

He didn't try to argue. Any other day he might've tried to calm her down and see if she'd talk to him first, rather than bother the sheriff. A personal favorite of Noah's or not… Nixie should still sometimes bring her problems to a deputy first. At least, that was his opinion. But not today. Jordan gestures behind him towards the breakroom, just as Noah comes out.

Scott, Isaac, and Nixie fill Noah in while standing in front of Jordan's desk. The sheriff has to lean against the desk for a moment, so thrown by what he's hearing. From what Jordan knew, Noah had lost his wife already, and Stiles was all he had. Well… Stiles and Nixie, but judging from the look on both their faces, losing Stiles was not an option. It was unthinkable.

And as Nixie's fists seemed to continuously clench tighter at her sides, Jordan would bet that it was not something she was going to live with on her conscience.

Noah is about at his wit's end. Jordan is honestly worried the man is about to fall down.

That's when Nixie reaches forward. Gripping Noah's shoulder, drawing his attention to her, she says calmly, and with the utmost conviction, "I will get him back, Noah. We will get him back. But we all have to work together to do that. Every angle explored, and nothing left unattended." Nodding firmly to him, she says, "Tell me where to start. I will get him back."

Noah stares at her for a moment, and then nods. Looking to the boys, he says, "If his jeep is gone, that's where we start." Turning to Jordan, he says, "Parrish, let's get an APB out on a blue 1980 CJ-5 Jeep." Then looking past the boys to another deputy, Noah says, "Cordova, I want a list of any kind of industrial basement or sub-level of any building that he could've gotten into while sleepwalking."

To the rest of the office, he says, "It's the coldest night of the year so far. So if he's out there barefoot, in just a t-shirt, he could already be hypothermic."

While Noah continues talking, Jordan lifts his eyes from his APB when Nixie's hand lands on the edge of his desk. Glancing at her, he watches as she puts her other hand over her stomach, clutching it there as though in pain. The poor girl looked like she was about to be sick; probably because, on top of the fact that Stiles was missing, she hadn't already thought of the fact that he could already be close to hypothermic."

She was struggling to keep it together. Stiles needed her put together, and that's what she would be. But damn it… Lydia had a feeling, and she only got those when someone was about to die. And if Stiles was outside, in the cold, and he was hypothermic…

Nixie pauses the internal turmoil of her brain when she feels a hand gently land over hers. Glancing down at it, following the arm attached to it, she finds Parrish looking up at her. His thumb brushes the back of her hand for a moment, and then he says gently, "We'll find him."

He doesn't say anything more. He just finishes with the APB, and then gets up to continue working on the search. There wasn't much more he could say.

But when he glanced back, Nixie was standing up straight again, looking determined to find Stiles once more, against all odds.

Noah guides all three of them into his office, and then asks, "Is there anything you need to tell me that I can't tell everybody out there?" Nixie nods and says, "Lydia knew he was missing before we even talked to her." "Can she help find him?" Isaac puts in, "She's working on it. Nixie's orders."

Noah nods again, and then asks, "Anything else?" Scott says, "I used Nixie's phone to call Derek and Alison for help." "Can you… can you find him by scent?" Isaac glances over at Nixie for a moment, and then nods and says, "We're most definitely going to try."

A knock on the door calls their attention, and then Jordan steps inside and says, "Got it sir. We found the jeep." Nixie snaps her attention to him and asks, "Where?" Jordan glances at her, and then says, "Beacon County General Hospital." Frowning, Nixie asks aloud, "Why the hell did he drive there?"

As they all prepare to head out, Noah holds Nixie back and says, "Stay here a minute." "Noah, I am not staying here while…" "No, just for a bit. Johansen!" A young female deputy comes over, and Noah says to Nixie, "She's the fastest typist we have. I need you to dictate to her the entire conversation you had with Stiles. And I mean everything. Every word, every sound you heard… everything."

Nixie nods, but as Noah leaves, Johansen asks, "Do you need a minute to think about it? I know it must be a lot to remember. I can…" "Just start typing."

Johansen takes a seat at the desk next to Jordan's, and types while Nixie talks. And Jordan, amidst working on his own to try and find Stiles, glances over in surprise when Nixie does not break or pause for even a second. She recounts the conversation word for word, breath for breath, minute for minute, and sound for sound… until Stiles hung up on her the last time.

When she's done, Johansen says, "That was… impressive. You actually remembered all of that?"

Nixie, while slipping her jacket back on, simply says, "It's Stiles." Jordan watches her walk out the door, and then goes back to working on finding Stiles on his own. When Johansen prints up the report, he says, "Here, I'll take it. Stilinski might want to see it if he comes back."

As he reads it over thoroughly, he can't help but be impressed. Nixie was most definitely something else; something the likes of which he'd never seen before.

And it was definitely a good thing.

* * *

Stiles wasn't at the hospital. He's not back at his house. He's not at the station. He's not at the school. And as Nixie speeds all over town, trying desperately to think of any other place that Stiles might just go while sleepwalking, she gets a call from Lydia. "Eichen House. He's at Eichen House."

Pulling to a stop at the side of the road, Nixie asks, "How sure are you?" "So sure. I'm positive. He has to be there." "Did you tell Noah?" "Yes. He's heading there now, with most of the cops. I'm heading there too."

Nixie nods to herself, and then says, "Alright. Keep me posted. Until they've found him there, I'm still looking out here. I believe you Lydia. I just don't want to leave anything unchecked until he's found." "Okay. I'll let you know." "Good."

Hanging up, Nixie stays there on the side of the road, idling for a moment.

Eichen House… why would he be there? The mental health facility was not a place he had ever been before, or should ever need to go in her opinion. She was the only one with a reason to ever go there, and no one else knew about that. To top it off, she wasn't really even allowed, per her mother's instructions in the contract she'd put together before going there.

But just because she wasn't allowed to go, didn't mean Nixie hadn't studied the security measures of the building. It wasn't exactly a great place, and some of the nurses and doctors, Nixie could live without. But… as far as security went, it was pretty good. And as Nixie ponders all of that, she shakes her head and says, "Stiles would need a key to Eichen. He'd need a key to the main gate, and if he's in the basement, he'd need another key for that as well." She shakes her head again and says, "He's smart, but he doesn't have any contacts in Eichen House. He wouldn't have a key to the basement. He can't… He can't be there."

But Lydia was positive that he was. Which begged the question of why she thought he was there? Or… why did Stiles think that he was there himself?

Nothing made sense anymore. It was all too confusing. First the hospital, then Eichen House? Nixie doesn't understand why he would go to any of those places.

Revving her engine again, she decides to bullet her way back to the station, and see if anyone there has thought of anything new. And heaven help anyone that wasn't trying to help work on finding Stiles.

* * *

When she comes marching back into the station, Jordan looks up when she approaches his desk. She's not even sure why she's coming up to him to ask for it, but she does. "Where's the transcript of my conversation with Stiles?" Jordan points behind her, and when she turns, she finds Rafe McCall coming out of his office, the transcript in hand.

He'd been about to ask Jordan a question, but upon seeing Nixie, he turns to her and asks, "Is this the exact transcript of the call?" "It's what I gave them, isn't it?" "I understand that. But these words. These exact words. Are you…" Jordan stands up and says, "She gave it to us verbatim Agent McCall. I listened to the whole thing. She quoted it, as if she'd actually recorded the whole thing with a tape recorder."

Nixie's tension at being questioned unnecessarily eases slightly, and she gives Jordan a slightly grateful look before turning back to Rafe as he says, "I'm sorry. I know you're probably right, but I need to check. These words. When Stiles says, 'Something smells terrible. My eyes are watering.'" Nixie gives him a look and then quotes from memory, "I asked, 'Stiles? Stiles, are you there? Can you hear us? Stiles, talk to me, please.' Then Stiles answered, 'Ah, there's some kind of smell down here. Something smells terrible. It's brutal, my eyes are watering.'"

Rafe stares at her in surprise when she says to him exactly what he's reading on the paper, not the paraphrased version he'd said back to her. She really did remember everything they'd said, even as stressful as the situation must've been. And when he looks like he might ask how on earth she did that, Nixie cuts him off and says, "It's Stiles. Do you have anything useful to add? I do not have time to waste on bullshit."

Then Melissa says from a nearby doorway, "Nixie, honey, come here." Nixie doesn't move, but as Melissa comes up to her, Nixie relaxes further as warm arms wrap around her. Kissing the side of Nixie's head gently, Melissa says, "We'll find him."

Silence for a moment, and then Jordan looks up again when Nixie says in a shaky voice, "I cannot lose him. I won't. I… If he…" Melissa nods and says, "You won't. We'll find him. We'll bring him back to you."

Nixie nods and then looks to Rafe again when he says, "Come on, both of you." Blinking in confusion, Nixie asks, "Why? Where are we…" "To find Stiles. I have an idea."

As they pile into his cruiser, Rafe explaining that he doesn't think Stiles is where he says he is, Melissa asks, "So… what are you saying?" "I'm saying the real question might be, how do we know he's not still asleep?" "You mean he's been asleep the whole time?" Rafe nods and says, "People who sleepwalk can do crazy things. One guy goes to the kitchen and cooks an entire meal. Another guy is found mowing his lawn naked."

"How does any of this help us find my boy?" Rafe glances at Nixie in the rearview mirror. Her feet were tapping against the floorboard of his cruiser so much that he and Melissa could feel the vibrations through the car. Neither of them dared to tell her to stop though.

In answer to her question, Rafe turns to Melissa and asks, "You remember that townhouse apartment we lived in? There was that one night when I came home drunk…" Melissa cuts him off by asking sarcastically, "Oh, just one night?" Rafe sighs, not arguing, but says, "Let me finish. So I'm drunk, passed out on the bed. I get up to go to the bathroom. Then suddenly I hear you yelling 'what the hell are you doing?'."

Nixie raises an eyebrow when Melissa says, "Because you were in the closet peeing into the laundry basket." Rafe nods and says, "Yeah, I thought it was the bathroom." "Oh, no. You were drunk off your ass." "Yes, I was. But I was convinced that it was the bathroom." "Yeah? And?"

But before Rafe can answer her, Nixie says in realization from the back, "So… how do we know that Stiles isn't just convinced that he's in some kind of basement. What if he's not actually there… and he just thinks he is because he's still asleep."

Running a hand over her mouth, the other through her hair, Nixie lets out a long breath before asking desperately, "How does that get us closer to finding him?" Rafe glances at her in the mirror again, and then says, "I got an idea about that too, based on the transcript you gave us about the call from Stiles." "And?"

Rafe keeps driving and says, "I'll get you to your boy."

* * *

Stiles is beyond scared out of his mind. He's cold, bleeding, and he has no idea where he is. And the figure in here with him, severely bandaged and with razor sharp teeth, screaming in his face, is making everything worse.

And then he's being dragged around by the trap that is clamped around his right ankle… or his left ankle. He doesn't remember. All he knows is he's being dragged away, and he doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to die, or be taken away and killed. He hears voices hollering at him, but it's all a blur behind the cackles and roars of the creature that's trying to drag him away into the darkness.

Until finally he hears her voice, screaming, "STILES!" He hears the creature that was with him roar in aggravation, and hears him mutter, "She will have to be put away if I'm to succeed." But after that, it all starts fading away, into the background, like a severely bad, terrifying nightmare.

Rafe and Melissa found him first, on the ground in the leaves and brush, shivering and barefoot and most definitely still asleep. But as they try to wake him, try to get him out of whatever nightmare he's in… they can't. He just keeps screaming, keeps flailing, keeps trying to fight them and get away.

Rafe is honestly about to punch him in the face. Anything, at this point, to wake the poor kid up. That's when Nixie sprints around the tree towards them. Falling down and skidding to Stiles' side, she screams, "STILES!"

His eyes snap open, blinking rapidly into the darkness around them. Rafe stares at him in shock, and then to Nixie, who has Stiles' head in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. "Stiles. Stiles, look at me. I've got you. Alright? I've got you."

She repeats the phrase until Stiles relaxes further, and then he reaches out for her and snatches her into his arms. Pulling her in close, squeezing her so tight Nixie knows she'll have bruises, Stiles trembles against her and says, "I'm sorry. I didn't… I couldn't… Please don't let go. I…" "Hush, Stiles. It's okay. I've got you. You're safe now. You're alright."

* * *

Nixie let Melissa take care of letting everyone else know that Stiles had been found. The only call Nixie handled herself was to Isaac, informing him to let Alison know that if she couldn't explain why she hadn't answered anybody tonight, Nixie was going to be pissed.

Aside from that, she stayed with Stiles in the back of the cruiser. As cold as he was, and as cold as Nixie generally is all the time, Stiles still refused to let her go. So they sat there, side by side, Stiles resting his head on her collar, shivering occasionally, but otherwise finally at ease with himself and the rest of the world.

Nixie wasn't as calm. On the outside, sure, she was a vision of peace now. But in her own head, she was desperately trying to sort out what had happened. Why was Stiles sleepwalking again? Why couldn't he sleep normally in his own bed? Why was he having nightmares that he had to scream himself awake from again?

Why, on occasion, did Nixie feel like she shouldn't trust him, or even like him?

When they arrive at the hospital, Stiles keeps Nixie with him at all times. She tries to leave the room when Noah arrives, to give them some privacy. But he grips her wrist tight and fast, and refuses to let her leave.

It isn't until he's been given some tests and is about to be given a sedative, that he says, "Sorry I've been holding onto you. I just…" "Stiles, don't even start that right now. You nearly froze to death tonight. I am yours, for as long as you need me." Grinning, Stiles says, "I'll always need you Nix." "Well, then there you have it."

He chuckles, and then sighs and says, "I'll be fine now, if you wanna go home. I can…" Nixie leans forward and kisses him on the forehead before saying, "I have to go get my bike from the station. And I'm pretty sure your dad needs me to give a final statement or something before the night is done. But as soon as I'm finished, I'll be back here. And I won't leave until I have to go to school in the morning."

Stiles nods, and then lets the doctors give him the sedative so he can get some actual rest. Walking out of the room, leaning against the door, she looks up at Noah when he steps out with her. Closing the door softly behind him, he asks, "Are you sure you wanna come back? He's gonna be out for a long while. You can…" "I am not staying away from him when I don't have to. Not for any real length of time in the near future."

Noah smiles gently, and then guides her back up the hall to the others. Scott and Lydia, sitting in chairs nearby, quickly rise to their feet. Lydia asks, "How is he?" Nixie smiles and hugs her gently before answering, "He's sleeping now. He's gonna be fine." Noah nods and adds, "He doesn't remember much. It's a bit like a dream to him."

Then he turns to Rafe and says, "Thank you." Rafe shakes his head a little and says, "It was that repellent we sprayed in the coyote den to keep other animals out. I couldn't go near it without my eyes watering. It's just a good thing he mentioned it over the phone. And that Nixie remembered it in such detail." Noah says, "No, it was more than that. Thank you." "It was just a lucky connection."

Noah gives him a look, but then smirks a little when Nixie moves away from Lydia. Walking up to Rafe, putting a hand on his good shoulder, she looks him over for a moment. Narrowing her eyes a bit, she says, "Mr. McCall… I'm still not altogether certain that I'm ready to like you yet."

He stares at her for a moment, but when Melissa nudges him a little, he nods that he hears what Nixie's saying. Then she moves in closer, wraps him in a hug, and says, "Thank you for finding him. And shut up and just take the damn gratitude."

Rafe had never understood why when his son was stressed, or even just worried about being near him, he would put an arm around Nixie and somehow feel better. But he did now. It was like, at least for this brief moment, every worry he had in the world had been lifted a little off his shoulders.

No one has to tell him to hug her back. He does that on his own, a look of confused wonder still on his face. And then, as Nixie pulls back, Melissa whispers for him to hear, "Eventually, you get used to it."

Then she turns to the other kids and says, "Alright. You guys have school in less than six hours. Go home. Go to sleep." Scott nods and hugs his mom tight, and then says goodbye to everyone else before heading down the hall. Lydia in tow, she shakes her head at herself and says, "I don't know what happened. I was so sure."

Scott nods and says, "Yeah, I wasn't much help either. But it doesn't matter now. Just as long as he's okay." Nixie nods in agreement with that, but they both stop when Lydia jerks around to look for something. Her eyes scan the hall, as though looking for something specific. Coming closer, Scott asks, "Do you hear something?"

But after a moment, Lydia says softly, "No. No, I didn't hear anything."

Nixie narrows her eyes at Lydia, and when they get outside, rather than asking Scott to take her to get her bike, she asks Lydia to do it instead.

On their way to the station, Nixie asks, "You gonna tell me what you heard?" Lydia sighs and says, "Just a clanking. But I have no idea what it is or why I heard it. Just like I have no idea why I was so sure Stiles was in the basement at Eichen House." Gripping the wheel tighter, Lydia adds, "What's the point of being able to do anything that I do, if I can't even help save the people who matter to me?"

Nixie reaches over for one of her hands, holding it gently and pulling it down to rest on the console between them. Then she says softly, "You've been trying to use your gift for, maybe, three months or so now. You can't expect to understand it perfect in that amount of time. This isn't like school work and textbooks. You're not going to be able to study it in a night, memorize it, and then have it nailed down, just like that. It's going to take time to figure all this out."

Lydia nods, and then smiles a little when Nixie says, "And as for the Eichen House basement… I still believe you. At some point, we should maybe look into breaking in there to see what's down there without supervision. Like Stiles said, you've always been right about this stuff before. Just because this didn't happen and work out exactly like you thought it would, doesn't mean you're wrong. We just have to… keep an eye on all of this, and hopefully we'll figure it out before it's too late."

Nodding again, Lydia then asks, "What if we don't?" "Then we work to fix the problems that come after that. Won't be nearly as easy, but it'll still be doable." "And how are you so sure of that?"

And then Lydia laughs when Nixie says, "Are you kidding? Between your brain, Scott's alpha power, my ninja skills, Stiles theories and plans… and the rest of the pack. I'm quite confident there is, literally, no problem we can't tackle and fix."

* * *

After Lydia leaves her at the station, Nixie runs a hand through her hair before stepping inside. Noah had already made his way back prior to them at this point, and when she walks in, he says, "Parrish. Do me a favor and take Nixie's closing statement about tonight. And have her sign her transcript of the call."

Jordan nods and pulls up a chair at his desk for her. He rolls through the questions fairly quickly, all of which Nixie answers easily and in enough detail that he doesn't have to ask for more specifics.

He's closing his notebook and preparing to hand her the transcript she dictated earlier, when Nixie leans forward and asks, "What's that?" He turns to where she's pointing, at his computer screen. He'd forgotten to take it down after they called in that they'd found Stiles. He'd been attempting to use an advanced GPS tracking system to locate Stiles' cell phone. But the best he was ever able to do was locate the nearest tower that his last call had pinged off of.

He explains all of that to her, and then she asks, "Is that something I would be able to do?" Smiling gently, he says, "Unfortunately, no. You have to have special clearances to access these types of sites and servers." Nixie nods thoughtfully, and then turns back to him. Smiling in return, she says, "Thanks for trying so hard." "Of course."

She signs the sheet, and as she's heading out, Jordan says, "Drive safely."

When she laughs and he throws her a curious look, she just grins and says, "You'll come to learn in time Parrish. But for now, let's just say that if you want me to drive a lot safer than I actually do… you're going to have to be able to catch me first."

And as she walks out, Jordan isn't sure why, but he feels like that's a challenge he will readily accept.

* * *

The fact that Alison's phone had been cut off, and that there were now several messages on it of a man speaking in Japanese, was quickly becoming the least of Nixie's concerns.

Tests. Noah and Melissa both thought that they needed to run some tests on Stiles. Tests to see if the symptoms he'd been exhibiting, if all of his behavior as of late, could be the cause of a disease of the mind. The same one his mother had before she died. The same one that couldn't be cured.

Alison and Isaac both looked down to read the text she got from Melissa, explaining it all. And then they sent her to be with Scott and Lydia. Interpreting the Japanese gibberish on Alison's phone was minor compared to what Nixie now needed to focus on. And that was Stiles.

She left them at Ken's class, and then headed to the lockers where Lydia and Scott were standing. As a locker slams nearby, Lydia visibly jumped. Scott asks, "Are you okay?" Lydia nods and says, "Yeah. Just a little hyper-sensitive to sounds today." Another locker slams, and Lydia jumps again.

She relaxes a little when Nixie puts an arm around her. Sighing, Nixie asks Scott, "Did you get the message?" He nods and says, "They're doing tests on Stiles all afternoon. I was thinking of going around six, to visit." Nixie nods, and then says, "I'll probably just go there straight after school. I'm not going to be able to get anything done if I go home anyway."

Scott nods, and then asks Lydia, "Do you wanna come with us?" Lydia, though more comfortable with Nixie nearby, shakes her head slowly and says, "I should probably just go home."

Another locker slams, and Lydia jerks back from the sound. Scott stares at her for a moment, and then looks around before coming back to her and asking, "Are you sure you're okay?" Lydia nods, but at Nixie's stern look, Lydia edits, "I'll be fine. Just… need to go lie down for a while. I'll text you guys later."

Nixie watches as she heads up the hall, her head jerking this way and that, towards every loud sound that she happens to pass by. Sighing, Nixie says, "She's not alright." Scott nods, "Yeah, I figured. Any idea what's up?" "She told me yesterday she heard a clanking sound… but she has no idea what it pertains to or why. She'll probably try to figure it out while she's at home."

Wrapping an arm around Nixie's shoulders, Scott says, "Why don't you come home with me first. We can at least eat a light supper before heading back to the hospital. Maybe sneak in some good food for Stiles. You know he hates hospital food." Nixie ponders it, and then nods and says, "Sure. But be braced. I know you've been working on the English essay, and I fully intend to get started on proof-reading that sucker." Scott grins and says, "Yes ma'am."

* * *

"I'm not sure I know how to pronounce this… or if it's not actually a misspelling." Noah gives the doctor a look, and says, "Just call him Stiles." The doctor gives him a comforting smile, and then says, "Okay. Stiles, just to warn you. You're going to hear a lot of noise during the MRI. It's due to pulses of electricity going through the metal coils of the machine. If you want, we can get you some earplugs or headphones."

Stiles just shakes his head and says, "No. No, I don't need anything." The doctor nods, and then glances to Stiles' right. Scott was standing to Stiles left, next to the machine. Nixie was sitting next to Stiles on his right, on the machine's bed with him. She had her head on his shoulder, his hand held in both of hers, and for the most part, had remained silent through this whole process so far.

The doctor says, "Miss… I'm going to have to ask you to let him go." Nixie looks up at him for a moment, and then says, "I'll leave when he's ready. Not before."

He makes to argue, but Melissa puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "It's alright. Come on. Let's give them a minute." Noah puts a hand on Stiles' shoulder and says, "We're just on the other side of that window. Okay?" Stiles nods, "Okay."

Noah just stares at his son for a moment… just taking the time to look at him while they're still completely unaware of whether or not this is really happening. Then he squeezes Stiles' shoulder once more, before following Melissa out of the room.

Silence reigns for a moment after that, and then Stiles finally asks softly, "You guys know what they're looking for, right?" Scott nods jerkily, not actually able to bring himself to say the words. Stiles was kind of expecting Nixie to pick up the slack on that point. But all she did was squeeze his hand tighter in hers, as though if she held on tight enough, she could will this entire situation to go away.

He knew that out of all of them, and maybe even compared to his dad… this was hardest on her. Nixie had always prided herself on looking after them, protecting them, and doing everything she absolutely could for them. She'd become their emotional tether for Pete's sake… practically given herself a heart attack in the process.

But this? This disease that they were searching for? Nixie couldn't fight this. It wasn't something she could take her daggers to and try to defend against. If Stiles had it… then there was nothing she could do, except watch as it took its toll on him. And there was nothing she hated more than simply standing around while the people she loved were in danger.

Because neither of them can say it, Stiles says for them, "It's called frontotemporal dementia. Areas of your brain start to shrink. It's what my mother had. It's the only form of dementia that can hit teenagers. And… there's no cure."

Scott is near tears… only barely keeping them at bay. Nixie is too, but her effort to keep them away is more apparent. Stiles has to turn to her and say, "Nix, you gotta ease up. You're gonna break my hand." She lets go with one hand so she's not squeezing his so hard, but she just moves it so she's gripping his forearm instead. Shaking slightly against him, she says, "You're gonna be fine."

Stiles smiles a little and kisses the top of her head. Then he looks to Scott when Scott says, "Stiles… if you have, we'll do something." Looking at Stiles more pointedly, making sure he understands his meaning, Scott says, "I'll do something."

And Stiles does understand. If all else fails, Scott would give Stiles the bite early enough that he would survive and simply turn into a werewolf. To some, it may seem a rash or abrupt decision.

But Scott and Nixie had talked about this at length before coming over here. Having Stiles human… it was the best case scenario. Being a werewolf should be a choice for those who weren't born this way. You should be willing and non-coerced into it. That was the best way to enter this life. But if Stiles had this disease… they were not going to lose him without a fight. And if they had to go through this again, training another teenager to control his impulses and to control his inner wolf… then they would do it again. They'd survived Scott's early months as a new werewolf. They would survive Stiles' too.

They would not lose him. Not when they knew there was a way to keep him with them.

Stiles nods up at him, and then turns to kiss the top of Nixie's head again, covering her hand on his arm with his free hand. Scott moves in and wraps his arms around both of them. And for a while, they just sit there, holding each other, until they hear the door open, the doctor clearly ready to begin with the MRI.

Turning and kissing Stiles' cheek, Nixie says, "See you when you get out." "Okay."

Once they get outside in the hall, Scott turns his head to see Derek approaching them. Glancing at Nixie, Derek asks, "Did you get my message?" Nixie pulls out her phone, sees that Derek said he was on his way, and then sighs and says, "I didn't read it. I've been…" "It's alright. I understand."

Sitting down in the chairs across from them, Derek then begins explaining what he thinks happened the night Barrow kidnapped Kira. How he thinks that, by forcing Kira to create foxfire when he tried electrocuting her, Barrow used that to help the Nogitsune, which he believed was inside of Stiles, to begin taking over.

Which, though Nixie doesn't want to believe it… makes sense. It would account for the times when she suddenly felt she couldn't trust him. If the Nogitsune was in Stiles, then those would've been the times when it had surged to the forefront, and taken over.

While Nixie ponders all of this, Scott says to Derek, "You know the stuff you were telling me about chemo signals earlier? It reminded me of the time you were teaching me to use anger to control the shift." Derek grins a little and says, "I think you and Nixie ended up teaching me more about that."

Scott smiles back at him, and then asks, "Are you teaching me again?" Derek tilts his head and says, "Think of it more like… sharing a few trade secrets." Scott nods in understanding, and then Derek says to both of them, "You know I took Cora back to South America, right? It's where she spent most of her time after the fire. But… that's not the only reason I left."

Nixie tilts her head and asks, "Then why else did you leave?" "I needed to talk to my mother." Nixie raises an eyebrow while Scott asks for clarification, "Your dead mother?" Derek nods and says, "I'll explain that later. For right now, listen. She told me something that changed my perspective… on a lot of things. She said that my family didn't just live in Beacon Hills. They protected it. And this town… it definitely needs someone to protect it. Someone like you, Scott."

Scott nods slightly at that, and then grins when Nixie asks, though not in her usual bright tone, "And what am I doing over here? Nothing, I suppose. I trained with a weapons and defensive training expert all summer so I could just sit on my ass and watch Scott guard over Beacon Hills. Yep. That's what I'm here for."

Derek grins at her and says, "This town needs you too. If for no other reason, than to simply remind us of the kind of love we deserve. The same kind that you give us. Always, and without fail." Nixie blushes a little, and then turns to Scott, who says, "This town does need someone to protect it. And… it also needs someone like you, to teach me a few trade secrets."

Nixie leans back in her seat, watching the two men smile at each other in confidence. They made a good team. And Scott was the best person suited for protecting Beacon Hills. There was no one better for the job than…

Protection. Nixie remembers Scott and Derek explaining that Stiles had been on the hospital roof that night, struggling with himself, before he'd finally taken off into the woods, where he'd gotten lost. And yeah, he was probably asleep most of the time. And yes, when they got him back, he couldn't remember any of what he'd done.

But before that… the Nogitsune wouldn't have wanted Stiles to go into the woods. If Stiles froze to death out there, the Nogitsune would have no body to possess and control. No… running into the woods had been all Stiles.

It had been Stiles trying to protect them. From himself.

Both men turn to look at her when she mutters in realization, "Son of a bitch. He was trying to protect us." Scott tilts his head in confusion, so she says, "Stiles. Last night, when he got lost… he was…" Scott eyes widen as he finishes, "Protecting us." And Derek adds, "From himself."

And with that, all three of them race back to the roof where Stiles had been when he struggled against the Nogitsune. Searching around, Derek asks, "What are we looking for?" Scott answers, "I don't know. But I think Stiles wasn't just up here struggling with himself." Nixie nods and says, "He was struggling not to do something."

As they continue searching, Scott climbs up a level, and then reaches onto the roof over the surge protector box. And what he pulls down, is a bag full of wires, tools, and other equipment. But what Stiles would be doing with them, none of them are quite sure.

No… not Stiles. The Nogitsune. That's who had the tools. That's who was trying to do something. Nixie glances around with them, trying to see anything out of place or anything new that shouldn't be here. Finally, Derek points and says, "Look."

One of the wires to the surge protector box has been cut. Not all the way, but at least more than halfway. Why the Nogitsune would do that is anyone's guess.

And then the surge protector explodes with a power surge, sparks flying everywhere, and the wire that had been half cut, tears itself apart, flying through the air and eventually over the side of the building.

They all stare at it in shock, and then Nixie says, "Right. So… I'm going to find Stiles. And if he's not Stiles… well, then I'll take him off guard hopefully, punch him in the face so he's knocked out, and then we'll go from there. You two, figure out how to keep everything from exploding around here and fix that wire."

* * *

Nixie has just rounded the corner when she sees the back of his head. Sighing in relief, she shouts, "Stiles!"

He pauses in his walk, and then turns to look at her. Dark eyes, a paler face than usual, and an evil smirk, as opposed to the usual mischievous one that she knows is his.

He's not her Stiles. He's the Nogitsune. Taking a step back, she says, "I will get you back Stiles. I promise."

But before she can turn and run to find Scott, Stiles surges forward and grabs her. He was stronger than normal, because of the Nogitsune inside him. He throws her against the nearby wall, medical instruments on a nearby table clattering to the floor in response.

Holding her head against the wall, pushing against it with bruising force, the Nogitsune gets right up next to her ear and says, "You know, you are a rather sizeable pain in my side. And you don't even fully realize why. That's the funny part of it." Running his nose past the shell of her ear, he says, "You can see me. The real me that's inside your boy."

Chuckling, he says, "Well… that's taken over your boy now. You knew when it was me, and when it wasn't. And you didn't even know what you were doing. But Stiles did. Oh, he was figuring it out so well. He knew he had an easier time staying himself when you were around. It's why he called you instead of Scott last night."

He shoves her harder into the wall, and then says, "You should hear him in here. Trying to claw his way back to you. Trying to warn you to run. Oh, he's a fighter, this one is. And that makes this victory that much sweeter."

Nixie shoves back and lashes out with one of her daggers that she'd slipped into her hand. The Nogitsune jumps back for a moment, but then smirks and says, "Ah, ah, ah. You'd better be careful Nixie. You wouldn't want to hurt your boy, now would you?" "Stiles will heal. After I kick you out of him."

He chuckles again, running at her again and slamming her into the next wall behind her. Flipping her so her front is pressed to the wall, he wrenches the dagger from her hand. Smirking, he says, "You won't hurt me. You know you can't. If you thought you could, you would've gotten away from me by now."

Nixie feels her own blade gently brush against her back. The Nogitsune then says, "But you know, Nixie? As much of a problem as you are for me… you are actually going to help me. Even if you don't want to." "I will not do anything you say!" "Oh, I know. But that's not what I need from you."

The blade slices into the left side of her lower back, digging in rather deep before sliding sideways, towards her spine. Cringing and thrashing, she tries to break his hold, but can't. Stiles' body was now supernaturally strong.

The Nogitsune whispers in her ear, "Your boy has been fighting me, using his memories of you and using his connection to you to fight that much harder. But now… now he sees what will happen if he continues to do so." He edges the blade closer to her spine again, and then sighs as he pulls it back out. Nixie grits her teeth, but also notices that her sense of dislike isn't as strong as it was before.

Her sixth sense wasn't working. The only reason it had before, was apparently because Stiles had been fighting the Nogitsune so hard inside his mind.

And now the Nogitsune had threatened her, and Stiles had finally relented. The next time she saw him… she wouldn't be able to tell.

He leans in closer and whispers, "Thank you very much Nixie. You've been a wonderful help." And then he drops her to the floor, her dagger following, and walks out of the building as though he didn't have a care in the world.

Nixie reaches back for her new wound and cringes when her fingers come back red with blood. She could stitch it up herself, she knows that. But since Alison would find out about it soon anyway… she sighs and pulls out her phone. She sends a quick text that says, _"I'm coming over. Break out the bandages."_

Then she sits there for a minute, trying to figure out how to fix this. Deaton was gone for now, searching for a solution in some unknown land for them. But right now, they were here, and Stiles was a Nogitsune. And just when she was figuring out that she could actually see him… see the difference between Stiles and the Nogitsune, he apparently took away that ability by forcing Stiles to give in, otherwise he would've killed her by severing her spine.

The only thing Nixie can think to say before she stands up to head out, is, "Damn it!"

* * *

Chapter 6! We're halfway there guys! Six more chapters to go. And then, on to work on Season 4. Yay!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 7: Episode 3x19

When Nixie reached the parking lot outside, she wasn't sure what was happening at first. An ambulance driver and a woman beside her own car were both on the ground, looking a lot worse for wear. And then she saw Isaac on the ground, his whole body shaking uncontrollably. Nixie nearly sprinted all the way to him, regardless of anything else that was going on.

That's when Kira shouted, "Nixie! Don't!" She paused long enough to look at Kira and wonder why she was being told to not go to Isaac. Then she saw the electrical wire from the roof still whipping around. The water on the ground was electrified. That's why people were on the ground in the first place. And that's why Isaac was too. He was being shocked to death.

When Nixie continues moving after that, Kira gapes at her and asks, "What are you doing?!" "Well, I can't just leave him in there!" "Nixie, just wait a minute."

A car comes barreling towards Kira after that, and Nixie screams, "Watch out!"

The beautiful jump and flip that Kira pulls off while leaping over the car is impressive… something a normal girl probably shouldn't be able to do without some serious assistance. And as Kira lands in the water with the others; she stays fine. Whatever kind of fox she is, it must have something to do with lightning.

Upon figuring that out, Kira grabs hold of the electrical wire, and clamps her hand over the sparking end. Nixie can see the inside of her palm shining a little red, like your hand does when you cover a flashlight with it. And when she opens her eyes, Kira's are glowing a light and bright orange.

With the electricity snuffed out on that end, Kira drops the chord on the ground. When she looks to Nixie after that, she seems a little worried that maybe Nixie will be afraid of her.

But Nixie just grins, absolutely thrilled with what just happened, and says, "You… are officially awesome. It was implied before, but now it's official."

Kira smiles back, but then whips around to look when Nixie's smile vanishes as Derek shouts, "He's not breathing! Scott, he's not breathing!"

Oh yeah. This night just keeps getting better and better.

* * *

Between Stiles disappearing, again; Isaac nearly dying from electrocution, Kira's mom acting… mysterious; and everything else on top of that. Well, Nixie isn't really sure where to turn or what to think. At least, not about everything.

She's decided that, when Stiles comes back, she'll try to see if she can feel anything about him again. Good or bad. If she can, she'll tell Scott about it. If not… well, then she'll just have to defer to Scott and try to guess about whether or not they can trust him or not.

As far as Isaac goes… he's not dead yet. His condition hasn't exactly gotten a whole lot better. The healing process that werewolves usually went through had apparently been stunted by the experience he went through. But he wasn't dead yet, and Nixie was holding tight to that fact.

Alison hadn't left the hospital at all in the past two days. Her dad tried to make her, but it had been the weekend at the time, and Nixie had gone to fetch some new clothes for her to change into, so she didn't actually have to leave.

And while Alison hasn't forgotten that Nixie must have a new injury, since she'd texted Alison before all of this had happened… Nixie assured her it could wait. She'd bandaged and stitched it up herself at home, and compared to everyone else, she was fine.

Alison had half a mind to tell Scott about it, just so someone else could focus on it while she couldn't. But that would imply telling Scott about all the other scars that Nixie already had on top of that. And given all the other things that everyone already had to worry about… there isn't enough time to waste effort on an injury that isn't even life-threatening.

As Nixie's riding her bike down the road, exiting a forest path and hitting black pavement again, she gets a text on her phone. Scott and his mom were stopping by the hospital on their way to school, and Scott wanted her to meet them there. Nixie sends back a quick thumbs up, and then speeds up even faster so she can get to the station before heading to the hospital.

Inside his office, Noah is just staring at his phone for now. Stiles had sent him a message, telling him to not worry and that he was fine and would be back soon. But Noah knows, even if no one is telling him yet, that something is definitely not right here. And not just the fact that his son, apparently, had frontotemporal dementia. He could tell in the way Scott was avoiding having a serious conversation with him right now, and in how Nixie had not stopped searching for Stiles since he'd gone missing again.

In fact, as he thinks about that, he frowns deeper and wonders where she is, and if she'd gone to sleep last night. That's when Jordan knocks on his door before stepping inside. "Sheriff?" Noah nods for him to come on in, and Jordan leads the delivery man in behind him while explaining, "He just needs your signature for these packages. Pretty sure it's just printer cartridges and stuff. Batteries for the next blackout." And after a moment of thought, Jordan then adds thoughtfully, "Not a bad idea, considering the number of electrical problems in this town."

"You can say that again." Both men look up to see Nixie stepping into the office. Smiling gently, she says, "Hey Noah." "Nixie. Haven't seen you around much." Jordan actually gives Noah a puzzled look at that. As far as he was aware, Nixie had her own place. Even if she did spend most of her time with Scott and Stiles, who he had discovered were Nixie's 'boys'… anyways, it didn't mean Nixie had to always be around for Noah to see in some capacity.

Noah looks at him, and then just looks back to Nixie expectantly. Nixie shrugs and says, "Been busy." "Yeah, I can see that. So busy you forgot to stop by for breakfast." "I told you. I grabbed a protein bar this morning." "And I told you, that you can't live off of those things." "I don't! I only eat them when I'm in a hurry."

Jordan looks back and forth between the two, and then asks, "Am I… missing something here?" Noah nods in response, and then says in explanation, "Consider this a gentle interrogation, Parrish. I'm trying to discern if Nixie has actually gotten any sleep in the past forty-eight hours."

Nixie rolls her eyes a little, but when she glances at Jordan, his gaze is on her now as well, deep concern evident in his eyes and face. Huffing at both of them, Nixie says, "I'm fine." Noah says, "Nixie…" "Noah, I am fine. I got a solid three hours last night."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Noah sighs and says, "Three hours? Nixie, that's not a good or impressive thing." "It is for me, considering how worried I am." Stepping up closer to the desk, gentling her tone, she says, "Stiles is missing. Until he is found, I will run and function beautifully on little sleep, sheer force of will, and a hell of a lot of coffee."

Then she points at both men and says, "And neither of you is allowed to argue with me on that point. I can run on far less if I have to. Now, back to more important matters. Give me a marker." Noah sighs, but can't help smiling gently at her as he hands her a black sharpie. She walks over to the map he'd stuck up on a board. Nixie had divided the entire thing into quadrants and was searching everything grid by grid. And as Noah watches her X through a few of them, he knows she's not getting enough sleep. She may have even lied about how much she got last night.

Jordan stares at her for a moment. She was most certainly something else. He'd noticed the beginnings of some dark circles under her eyes. But aside from that, she didn't look that exhausted or fatigued. In fact, she looked like she could go on for days and still be just fine, if you asked his opinion.

If anyone was going to find Stiles, before he was ready to be found, it would be Nixie.

After she's finished, she hands the marker back to Noah and says, "I'm going with Scott to the hospital this morning to see about Isaac. I'll go back to searching after that." But Noah puts his foot down on this and says, "Nixie, you have school." "Yeah. And so does Stiles. And he can't go if I don't find him and then drag his ass inside. So there." "Nixie, you're going to school." "Noah…" "This isn't a debate Nixie."

They stare at each other for a moment, and then Nixie finally sighs in defeat. Rounding the table, she gives him a tight hug and says, "Fine. But if my legs start bouncing up and down enough to make even the teachers antsy around me, I'm booking it out of there." Chuckling, Noah says, "I'll take what I can get." "Good. I'll see you later." "Alright. And hey; don't forget your coffee."

She takes the Styrofoam cup he'd prepared for her beforehand, and then sighs after taking a sip. Noah wasn't as good at making her coffee as Stiles was… but he'd seen Stiles do it often enough to know most of what to do. Bottom line, it was definitely better than going to Starbucks and trying to figure out if they could come even close to making something she'd want to drink.

Heading back towards the door, Nixie smiles at Jordan and says, "Parrish. A pleasure, as usual." He smiles gently at her, and then watches as she hurries on out the door. Back to Noah, he asks, "Want me to brew a fresher pot any time soon, in case she comes back?" Noah smiles in appreciation, but then admits, "It doesn't really matter about how fresh the pot is for Nixie. By the time you're done mixing in everything, there's only a hint of coffee flavor left." Raising an eyebrow, Jordan asks, "What exactly goes in it?" "For that, we'd need my son to be here and explain. He's still the only one who knows how to make it perfectly. I'm pretty sure Nixie doesn't even know how to make her own coffee. Stiles always does it for her."

Watching Noah slip back into a slight melancholy state, Jordan says encouragingly, "We'll get him back sir. We won't stop looking until we do." "Thank you Parrish. That means a lot. To both of us."

* * *

When Nixie gets to the hospital, coming up alongside Scott, she hears Alison say, "They won't let me in because I'm not family. I told them he doesn't have any." And then Melissa says, "He's got us. And I've got a keycard."

And they all can't help but grin a little when Nixie adds, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You are, officially, the most awesome adult in our group." Standing up, Alison moves to Nixie's side. Wrapping her arms around her, sighing in relief as she sinks into Nixie's comfort, she says, "Thanks for the clothes and stuff." "Of course. You need anything else, just let me know." "I will."

In the room that Isaac is put in, it's all a bunch of medicine, equipment, and monitors. All so impersonal. It makes Nixie frown as she looks around. If they'd been allowed in sooner, there would've at least been a chair pulled up to the bed, a sign that someone had at least sat with Isaac for a while to keep him company and provide comfort.

Stupid hospitals and their stupid rules about 'family only'.

As they get up to the bed, Nixie on the right while Alison and Scott go to the left, Nixie frowns at his appearance. She'd known his healing process was stunted… but he didn't look any different. No worse, which was of course a good thing. But not any better either, which most definitely wasn't good. Looking up at Scott, Nixie says, "I thought he would've at least started healing by now." Scott nods and says, "I thought so too."

Scott reaches down for his burnt arm, and as his eyes widen at what he feels, Alison puts a hand to her lips as she asks worriedly, "He's in pain, isn't he?" Scott nods that he is, and then wraps his hand more fully around Isaac's arm. Black lines begin crawling up his hand and arm, beneath the skin, as he takes as much of Isaac's pain from him as he can.

Gasping when he's finished, Scott watches as Isaac takes in a big breath of relief before settling back down. Sighing, he explains to Alison, "It won't heal him. But it helps with the pain." Then Alison asks, in what almost sounds like an accusatory tone, "Did Stiles really do all this?"

Scott turns to her defensively, but it's Nixie that answers, "No. Whatever's controlling Stiles' body is what did this. The Nogitsune." Alison nods that she understands what Nixie's saying, but then still asks sharply, "Then how do we get that damn thing the hell out of him?"

Nixie and Scott look to each other, and then Scott says, "We're working on it." Nodding at Nixie, Scott asks, "Any word?" "Not since Deaton said he was on the way back. You?" "No, nothing new." Nixie sighs and says, "He'll let us know as soon as he can, I suppose. He knows, maybe better than any of us, how urgent this is."

They remain with Isaac for a moment more, and then, as Melissa tells them that they have to leave, Nixie leans forward. Kissing his forehead, she says gently, "You stay with me Isaac. You stay alive and you stay with me. Alright?"

Sighing as they head out the door, she looks down at the coffee cup that's in her hand again, and then says to everyone, "Yeah. I'm definitely gonna need about twenty more of these before the day's out."

* * *

It's near the end of first period when Nixie hears it. It's faint at first, but as she hands in her test and asks to be excused, she steps into the hall and hears it better. It was an emitter. One of Chris' emitters.

Nixie reminds herself that, yet again, this was probably something she shouldn't be able to hear. Even for a human with exceptional hearing abilities. But… it was still an issue to be addressed at a later date. Tilting her head now, wondering why Chris would even be here, she begins following the sound.

It eventually leads her to the stairs that go down to the basement, where Scott, Ethan, and Aiden all meet her as she begins heading down. Scott moves beside her and asks, "You heard it too?" "Yep."

The twins glance at each other in confusion and wonder, not understanding how Scott can just roll with that particular fact and not wonder how in the hell Nixie, a human, can hear the emitter as well as they can. But as they head down, Ethan mutters to his brother, "Well, it's not like he has to worry about her being a bad guy or anything. She's on his side. What's to worry about?"

As they round the corner at the bottom, looking in the direction the sound came from, they all see the distinct outline of the back of Stiles' head where he's standing, holding one of the emitters in his hand.

Nixie has a brief flashback to the night at the hospital, when she'd come up behind Stiles and shouted for him, only to have him turn around and find that he wasn't Stiles anymore.

When he turns around this time though… he looks like Stiles. But Nixie has no inkling either way, good or bad, to help her decide if it really is him.

The twins apparently don't need to see anything else to make up their minds on how to act. Stiles lifts his hands in a peaceful gesture before saying, "Okay, I know what you guys are thinking, but it's me. I swear to God, it's me." And the twins take off after him, charging at him like bulls in a china shop.

Which… okay, Nixie gets that they're dealing with a Nogitsune, demonic ninjas called Oni, and all this other crap. But… even if the Nogitsune is still inside of him somewhere, the body they are currently lifting into the air and shoving into the metal cabinet behind him, does still belong to Stiles. Dropping down a dagger, Nixie asks Scott, "I'll take Ethan, you take Aiden?" "Sounds good."

While Scott grabs hold of Aiden and forces him to put Stiles down, Ethan cringes and snarls when he feels the daggers slice across the back of his legs, and then his lower back. Nixie then kicks him harshly to the side, and puts herself as a barrier between him and Stiles behind her. Glaring at the wolf as he gets back to his feet, she points a dagger at his snarling face and says, "Test me Ethan. I dare you. Touch my boy again. I will break your sorry ass in half."

Ethan calms down a bit, enough to show Nixie that he hears her… even if he's not exactly fond of this idea. Aiden, behind her, his roaring at Scott, clearly much more upset about not being allowed to try and beat the crap out of Stiles.

Scott's roar in turn, makes Nixie grin, and she glances back to watch as Aiden shrinks away from the clearly enraged alpha.

Then, in spite of all their protectiveness, they turn to look at Stiles warily. For his part, he's smartly kept himself very still and quiet until now. Eyes flitting between both of them, he says, "Guys, it's me. I swear it's me. I don't know where I've been the last two days. I don't even remember getting out of the MRI machine. And I have absolutely no idea what I've been doing while I've been gone, but this is me. I promise."

Ethan, from the other side of Nixie, asks in anger, "Do you know what happened at the hospital? Huh?!" Stiles looks back to Nixie and Scott, and says, "I know more than that." Scott and Nixie look at each other, but then Scott steps out of Stiles way and says, "Explain." He nods eagerly and moves to the duffle bag that's on the ground behind them. Holding up a blueprint, Stiles asks, "You see this? It's a blueprint of the hospital's electrical wiring. And…" He unfolds it before them and points to show them where it's been written on. "You see all these markings in red? That's my handwriting."

Looking up at all of them, Stiles says, "I know I did this. I caused the accident." Scott and Nixie look to each other again while Stiles continues, "And everything in this bag… it's all stuff that could be part of something bigger."

While they go through it, Ethan pulls out a handheld jigsaw, and then looks to Stiles and asks, "What the hell have you been up to?" Stiles runs a worried hand through his hair and says, "I think something worse. A lot worse."

Scott had bent down to the floor with him, but now stands back up. Looking to Nixie, he asks, "What do you think?"

She's not sure if she's asking him about the bag, the possibility that the Nogitsune had done worse… or about how she feels about Stiles right now. But, given that she can't really be helpful on that last point, she gestures to the bag and says, "I think we need to go through all this crap and figure out what it all might've been used for. That's step one. Step two… we'll figure that out later."

Ethan grabs it from the floor and drops it on a nearby foldout table. Pulling all the contents out, which consists or rope, wire, chains, jigsaw, and a series of other tools, Aiden asks in the midst of it, "What the hell were you doing? Building a Terminator?"

And in spite of the situation, and Stiles instant comment of, "Thank you for that," Nixie looks up at Aiden and grins before saying to Scott, "I'm rubbing off on them. Sarcasm suits you beautifully, by the way." Aiden grins down at her, and then they all look to Scott when he says, "Guys, this is a map."

He unfolds it and sets it out on the table. And as they're all looking over it, Nixie points and says, "He traced this in red." Then Ethan asks, "Isn't that the cross country trail?" As he traces it with his finger, Scott points to a particular spot and says, "That's the Tate car. Where Malia's family died."

Ethan and Aiden aren't quite sure why Scott already sounds concerned about that, but then turn to Nixie when she sighs in aggravation. Running a hand through her own hair, she says, "You mean that's where Mr. Tate put the steel-jawed traps. Shit."

They take a moment to ponder that, and then Nixie's phone goes off. Stiles grins a little and says, "I'll never complain about you getting calls all the time. Ever again." Nixie can't help grinning back at him a little, in spite of the very real possibility that it's not completely him. Then she answers, "Yeah Lydia. What's up?" "I need you with me."

Frowning in confusion, she steps away from the others and asks, "What are you talking about? What's going on?" "Peter was here." "Which is cause for concern all by itself. Is he threatening you?" "I… I don't know. He was talking to my mom. He gave my mom his number. He said he was conducting hearing tests on the students soon. I think… I think he was actually trying to tell me something… about all of the things that I've been hearing lately."

Nixie ponders that for a moment, and then sighs and says, "And you want to know what it is he's trying to say." "Yes." There's a pause after that, and then Lydia sighs in relief when Nixie says, "Let me finish up with Scott and then I'll come up to get you. And call Alison. She's coming too." "Alright. Nixie… thank you." "Sure. Just do not go anywhere near him without me. Got it?" "Got it."

Hanging up, Nixie comes back to the table and asks, "Plan?" Ethan sighs and says, "If we're right, Coach already has a group of runners out on the trail." Nodding, Nixie says, "Okay. So, you are all put in charge of stopping them."

Nixie then looks to Scott and says, "Lydia needs me to go with her for now. Are you all gonna be okay with that?" Scott nods, but then catches her elbow before she can leave. To the others, he says, "Ethan and Aiden, head on out there to try and stop Coach and the others. Stiles, get your jeep. I'll be out there in a minute."

As soon as their gone, Scott turns back to Nixie and asks, "How do you feel? Talk to me." "I don't know, Scott. And just to be clear… are you asking about Stiles?" "Yes. Do you have… any inkling and all?"

She doesn't want to lie to him, but she also doesn't want to tell him that the Nogitsune came very close to severing her spinal cord. But, given that Scott probably has a lot of other things on his mind, she figures he won't be paying super close attention to her heartbeat right now. So she doesn't exactly lie… but she does fudge the truth, just a little bit.

Sighing, she says, "Look. I found him at the hospital that night. Before he went missing. But… it wasn't him. At that point, it was very easy to see, just from a visual standpoint." Scott nods, and then goes rigid when Nixie says, "And he threatened me."

Upon seeing his eyes searching her over, Nixie says, "He didn't do anything. But he made it very clear that he could and would. And that was the whole point. Because at that point, I think Stiles, somewhere inside his head, was still fighting. And the Nogitsune made it clear that if Stiles continued to do so, he would hurt me. Apparently, the only reason I could ever sense a slight difference in Stiles at all, was because Stiles was fighting him so hard in the first place."

Sighing again, she adds, "But after he threatened me and Stiles gave in… I felt that slip away. I don't have any kind of sixth sense about him right now. I'm sorry." Scott nods, and then pulls her into a hug and says, "It's alright. I'm just glad you're okay. I don't think I could handle losing both of you at the same time right now." Nixie leans into him or a moment, and then says, "Alright. Go save the runners. And keep an eye on Stiles. Do not let him out of your sight." "Should I consider it a good thing or a bad thing that you don't want me to lose track of him right now."

She pauses, and then says honestly, "I don't know. I just… I don't know."

* * *

When they get to the loft, where Lydia believes Peter is, she reaches for the handle immediately. Alison stops her though and says, "While it's definitely smart that you're bringing us along with you, Lydia, I still think the rest of this is totally insane." Nixie raises a finger lightly into the air and says, "I second that opinion."

Lydia just looks at both of them desperately and says, "I tried to find Stiles and led everyone into a mental institution. I call that a colossal failure." Alison sighs, but then turns when Nixie says, "I call it a misinterpretation." Lydia turns to her as well and asks, "What? What do you mean?" "I mean, I don't think you were wrong. At least, not completely."

When they both just continue to stare at her, waiting for more, Nixie shrugs and says, "What? It's not like I'm an expert or anything. I'm just saying… Lydia has never been wrong, necessarily. It's just… none of this has ever gone down or been exactly what you thought it would be. So… misinterpretation."

Lydia nods finally, honestly feeling a little bit better about everything after hearing that. But she still says, "I still need to figure this out though. I need to figure something out. And Peter… he's the only one offering help right now." To which Alison counters, "Peter doesn't offer help. He offers a chance for you to be manipulated into giving him what he wants." "Fine. Then let's see what he wants."

Before Lydia can open the door though, Nixie catches her wrist to stop her again. Giving Lydia a stern look, she says, "Just to be clear. If I don't like his tone. If he looks at you funny. If he so much as sneezes oddly in your direction. We are leaving. I don't care if I have to drag your ass out of the room with me. We are leaving. Understand?" Lydia nods, and then finally opens the large door.

Peter is standing on the other side of the room by the windows. Turning to look at them, he says, "The hunter, the banshee, and the compact ninja. Ladies, do come in." And Lydia has to tug Nixie back when she turns to start leaving. "Nixie, he hasn't done anything yet." "He called me a compact ninja. And I don't like him. You people are the only ones who can get away with that without pissing me off, and even that's a stretch." "Nixie, just… come on."

She rolls her eyes, but steps into the room with them regardless.

But, even as they get into the room, Peter nods towards Alison and says, "She goes." Nixie immediately turns in her step and says, "Fine by me." Lydia grabs her wrist again and says, "Nix."

Then Lydia turns back to Peter and says, "The last time I was alone with you… I almost bled out on a lacrosse field. She stays. They both stay." Peter holds up a finger and says, "First, I didn't say Nixie had to leave. Just Miss Argent. Second, do you actually think I was trying to kill you when I bit you? You were my backup plan, remember? Not to mention, the bite is what brought out your nascent abilities. What? You think power like that was going to come out on its own?"

Nixie puts herself slightly in front of Lydia and says, "Yes. At the right time, and in the right place, and in the proper way. The only reason she probably can't control this already, is because she's not supposed to know what it is yet. You brought it on early, and it's been a burden and a torment for her ever since."

Glaring at the man, she says, "Be very careful how far you push my patience today. I'm near the end of a very short rope as it is." Peter eyes her for a moment, and then says in the gentlest voice he can, "Power… it doesn't come without a little pain and struggle." Glaring, Alison says, "You attacked her and nearly killed her. I'd say that's more than a 'little' pain and struggle." And Lydia adds, "And I didn't ask for this."

Peter nods, but says, "But you're embracing it now, aren't you?" Alison steps up now as well, both girls creating a barrier between Peter and Lydia. Then she points out, "And how do you intend to explain the fact that you brainwashed her and used her to bring yourself back to life?" Peter then simply says, "So that I could be here today to help you master your abilities. Isn't it amazing how things come full circle?"

He leans back a step instantly when Nixie very nearly snarls at him herself. Clenching her fists, she says, "If you lie to us one more time while we're here, I swear to God and everything holy in this life, I will kill you in the most painful method I can come up with. I am not in the mood today." Then she turns back to Alison, who nods and says to Lydia, "He's insane. And we're leaving."

And Lydia, who has yet to hear anything even remotely helpful about her abilities, nods and takes their hands to walk out with them. That's when Peter finally says, "You want the truth. Very well." Lydia stops, bringing Nixie and Alison up short with her. And Nixie is very close to actually beginning to drag Lydia out the door with her. But then Peter continues by explaining, "It's not the scream that gives you power. All the scream does is help drown out the noise. It allows you to hear what you really need to. And I can help you. I can help focus your hearing."

And then he waits. He knows what comes next. Lydia doesn't turn to look at him first, to ask how yet. Instead, she turns to Nixie.

Nixie looks over at her, trying really hard to think of a reason they should leave rather than stay. But… Peter hadn't been lying right then. In fact, this was probably the most sincere he'd been since he'd come back from the dead.

Alison is watching her too; aware better than anyone just how much Nixie hated this man. And it wasn't just because Peter had been so cruel and hateful and manipulative of all of the people she cared about most; though that was certainly enough. But on top of that, was the scar that Alison knew rested on Nixie's stomach. Of all her injuries, Alison still felt that this one was the worst, by far. Of course, she hadn't seen Nixie's latest one yet… but she still doubts that it was as bad as what Peter had done to her.

Because of all of that, Alison knows that it really wouldn't take much to make Nixie still want to leave. In fact, it would probably take a hell of a lot to make her feel like it was worth it to stay.

Which is why it's a testament to how much truth must've been in that statement, when Nixie nods and says begrudgingly, "He's not lying."

Turning back to him, Alison does prompt though, "But you want something in return." A rather sarcastic comment comes to Peter's mind immediately… but upon seeing again how ready Nixie is to leave and take Lydia out of his presence, he settles for a simple, "Yes." And then specifically to Nixie, he says, "Though, for a banshee, I don't believe it should be very complicated. Easy, actually. So long as I do my part, and help focus her hearing."

Lydia glances at Nixie, who still looks like she'd rather just drag Lydia from the room. Then Nixie turns to her, and sighs before saying, "Fine. Go see what the bastard wants." "Where are you going?" Nixie pulls her buzzing phone from her pocket and says, "Gotta see what Scott wants."

While Lydia and Alison see what Peter has in his wooden jar, Nixie answers the phone, "Yeah Scott?" "So… we have another problem?" "Why am I not surprised? Alright, let's have it." He quickly explains to her that the twins found wrapping paper in the back of Stiles' jeep, which most likely means that there is a present somewhere that is most definitely not a present. It's a bomb.

Running a hand through her hair, Nixie says, "I can't leave Lydia right now. Soon as we're done, we'll head to the school to try and see if we can help. Until then, just get Noah to alert the school to be on alert. And make sure they check all the buses. That's where Barrow set off his own bomb. The irony of that would probably please the Nogitsune to no end." "Right. Nixie, be careful." "Right back at you Scott."

Hanging up, she walks up to the table where Alison and Lydia are now standing. And on top, dropped out of the jar Peter had opened, were five werewolf claws. Alison holds one up and asks, "These are the claws of Derek's mother?" Peter nods and explains, "And my sister. Talia." To Lydia, he says, "Before she died, she stole a memory from me. That's something only a very powerful alpha can do. And that memory… is locked inside those claws."

Nixie raises an eyebrow and quips, "With good reason, I'm sure." Lydia nods in agreement and asks, "Why would your sister want to steal a memory from you?" And Peter can't help himself this time as he answers back, "Well now, if I remembered the memory, I might be able to tell you." He glances to Nixie when she shifts in annoyance. But before she can try and make them all leave again, Lydia leans closer onto the table and asks determinedly, "So what am I supposed to do?"

Looking at Nixie, Lydia asks, "What could it hurt?" She raises an eyebrow again and answers, "Considering it came out of his head. I'm gonna go with, it could hurt quite a bit." Nixie glares at Peter for a second, but then turns back to Lydia and says, "I'm with you though. At least, up until he does something immensely stupid. Then I'm back to dragging you out." "Got it."

With that being said, Nixie goes to lean against one of the support beams in the room while Peter and Lydia try to work and help her hear what she needs to hear. And amidst trying to figure it out, Peter apparently forgets his place and says firmly, "Lydia, focus." "I am focusing." "You're not! I can see the wheels spinning behind your eyes. Your hearing is attuned to a level of the universe no one else can hear. But only if you're listening, Lydia." "I am trying." "Try harder!"

But as he makes to approach her, Alison's electrified baton snaps out in front of his face. It draws him up short, but he turns to face her anyway. Snapping out his claws, he says, "Your aunt had one of those. Dear Aunty Kate."

Lydia turns to face them and says, "Stop it. Both of you." But Peter continues, "It didn't do her much good as I ripped her throat out, did it?" Alison smirks a little though, and simply says, "My aunt Kate, didn't have someone like Nixie on her side." Peter tilts his head at that, but then shouts in pain when daggers slice through his back at his shoulder blades. Ripping them downward, making him scream, Nixie says through her teeth behind him, "I told you to leave them alone. What part of that do you seem to always have trouble understanding?"

He yanks himself away from her and her daggers, spinning to look at her. Eyes glowing blue, both hands with their claws extended, he snarls and asks, "You think you can take me?!" "Let's find out." She twirls her daggers as he makes to step closer. And she is ready, more than ever, to go at him and take his head clean off. She'd taken on the huge ass alpha earlier in the year and faired very well against him. She's certain she can handle Peter if she needs to.

But before she can prove it, that's when Lydia screams, "Stop it!" And in the process, she throws the claws across the room, with a precision that is something to marvel at. All five claws imbed themselves into another nearby beam. Nixie stares at them in surprise, and then makes a thoughtful noise in her throat before saying, "Nice shot."

Lydia grins just slightly, but then her eyes focus on the claws. And as she steps closer to them, a focused look in her eyes as she tries to listen to the new sound she's hearing, Peter asks, "Lydia? Do you hear something? What is it? What are they saying? Is it the memory? What did Talia take from me? Lydia? Lydia! What did she…"

The blade is thrust right under his throat, the point so tightly pressed to his skin that it begins to break the barrier, though Nixie doesn't shove it through yet. Glaring at him, she says softly, "Maybe if you'd shut up and let her listen, she'd be able to tell you."

Then she looks over at Lydia too. And while impatient as ever, Peter decides that he can wait for this. Besides, Nixie wasn't trying to drag Lydia away yet. In fact, she seemed almost as curious as he was, about whether or not Lydia could figure out the memory from the claws.

When Lydia turns to face them, eyes shocked and brimming slightly with held back tears, she finally reveals, "You're not just an uncle."

And while Peter looks shocked and then… maybe even a little pleased with this information, Lydia snaps her eyes to Nixie and gives a sharp nod. She was ready to leave, and she wanted to leave now. Nixie nods and says, "Let's go."

Peter's eyes shift swiftly between all three of them, and then he asks desperately, "But who? Who am I a father to? Who…" Lydia shakes her head and says, "I don't know. I… I didn't hear that part." Frowning deeply, Peter says, "No. No, you have to know." "But I don't." "No. No, you do know. Tell me." Shaking her head in annoyance, Lydia says, "I said I don't know. I don't know it's name. If it's a boy or a girl. Or if it's some mutated wolf baby. I don't know."

Glaring at her, stalking towards her, Peter says, "You're lying. Tell me what you know. Tell me!" The second he grabs her, begins to shake her, he remembers what a mistake it was. The sudden chill that sweeps into the room the moment his hands land on Lydia, brings back what little common sense he has left to the surface, and he tries to let go before it's too late.

But the second he'd had her in his grip… it was still a second too long. No sooner had he started letting her go, then Alison found the baton swiped out of her hands. Lighting it up, Nixie jabs it as hard as she can into the base of Peter's back, where his spine is. She holds it there, far longer than is probably necessary, and then jerks it back and watches as he collapses to the ground.

Glaring at him on the floor, Nixie then hands the baton back to Alison while saying, "And now we're leaving. Come on."

They all hear Peter shout at the top of his lungs, "LYDIA!" But it doesn't matter. They don't stop. They head out of the building as fast as they can, and then before Nixie can head off on her bike, her phone goes off. Looking down to see Scott's message, she reads, _"Kira says the Oni are coming. Apparently, her mom is the one in charge of them. We're taking Stiles to the clinic for protection. You coming?"_ Nodding, Nixie sends back, _"As soon as I can, I promise. Be careful." "You too."_

Back to the girls, Nixie says, "I have to go. You two… you stay together. Understand?" They both nod, and then Nixie hops back out of the car, climbs onto her bike, and speeds away through the rain. But at least, she thinks to herself, it's not a cold rain. Any other day, a cold rain might be relief to the stress and grief she sometimes felt. But not today. Definitely not today.

* * *

In Lydia's car, far away from the loft and from Peter, Alison and Lydia compare pictures of Peter and Malia. That's the secret that had been in Talia's claws. The memory that Peter was the father of Malia Tate.

Alison sighs and asks, "Should be tell Nixie?" Lydia thinks about it, and then says, "No."

At Alison's questioning look, Lydia says, "She'll want to tell Malia. And the girl… she's still adjusting to the fact that she gets to be human again. Learning that Peter is her real father… is not exactly going to help her adjust. So no. We don't tell Nixie."

They both nod in agreement to that, sitting there in the rain, wondering if they need to tell anyone else about this new information.

But not Nixie. Definitely not Nixie right now.

* * *

Upon seeing Stiles and Scott through a nearby window, Nixie grits her teeth and nearly screams.

It wasn't Stiles. Maybe it never was. It most certainly isn't now, as Stiles twists the samurai sword that's stuck through Scott's abdomen.

Nixie almost runs in. Not with a plan or anything. She just knows, at the very least, that she could take the Nogitsune's attention off of Scott long enough to maybe let him get the sword out, and then think of some other way to hurt the Nogitsune without hurting Stiles.

Yeah. Because that would be so easy.

Anyway, her hand is on the door, when Deaton says, "Nixie." Turning to him, she sighs in a bit of relief before asking, "Where have you been?" "Sorry. Traffic." "Really?" "I believe you are the one who said, there is always time for sarcasm." "Yeah, usually." Coming up beside her, he hands her an injector gun loaded with a needle full of some sort of liquid. Raising an eyebrow, Nixie asks, "What is this?" "For Stiles… it's help. For the Nogitsune… it's poison." Nodding, Nixie asks, "What do I do?" "When he turns to see me, jam this in his neck and press the trigger. It'll act quickly."

She follows a pace behind him into the clinic. The Nogitsune, still tormenting Scott, says, "Oh, you really have to learn, Scott. You really have to learn not to trust a fox." He giggles, completely giddy about everything he's gotten away with so far, as he adds, "Because they're tricksters. They'll fool you."

Eyes darkening, he adds, "They'll fool everyone." That's when Deaton comes up on his right and says, "Not everyone." The Nogitsune quickly turns his hateful eyes in the Doc's direction, exposing his neck for Nixie, who comes up on his other side. She quickly inserts the needle and pulls the trigger, causing the Nogitsune to gasp and make a choking sound before he slowly drops down to the floor as the poison takes effect.

Deaton then turns to Scott, gently placing his hand on the sword, before pulling it straight out. Gasping in relief, Scott asks, "What was that? Was it a cure? Is he okay now?" Deaton shakes his head and says, "The fox is poisoned, but it's not dead." Turning to look at the boy on the floor, he adds, "Not yet."

Nixie is staring down at Stiles' body. With the poison injected into him, her ability to somehow sense who she could trust and who she couldn't had returned. And right now, it was rapidly swinging back and forth. The Nogitsune was fighting and struggling to maintain control over her boy.

But Deaton was right. While not yet dead, the fox was poisoned. And the battle was currently one he lost. As Stiles' appearance finally settles into one that Nixie sees completely as a friend again, he opens his eyes wearily and asks in a broken voice, "Nix?"

And Scott slumps in relief when Nixie immediately takes in a gasping breath before saying, "Stiles." She'd been uncertain all day about this. Scott had known that much. But not anymore. She dove to the ground, wrapping Stiles in her arms, clutching him as tightly as she could, and for all she was worth. She knew it was him this time, without a shadow of a doubt.

Standing up, pulling Stiles up with her, she supports him and says to Scott. "Let's get him to the jeep. We need to get him home for now." Deaton helps them get him into the vehicle, and after Scott promises to stay with Stiles tonight and keep her posted, Nixie turns back to the Doc. Warily, she asks, "That won't last forever? Will it?" He shakes his head and says, "I'm afraid not. And I'm also afraid that I can't tell you how long it might last."

Nixie runs a hand through her hair, and then asks, "How do we fix this?" "I'm not sure yet. I have an idea about how we might find a solution. But it's a long shot. And it's not something we'll discuss tonight." "Why not?!"

Deaton smiles gently at her and says, "Because I can see the dark circles under your eyes. You need rest. And you need it now." "I need Stiles to be safe and whole again. I'll sleep after that." "I know you need your boy back, Nixie. But you're no good to him if you end up dead on your feet. Go home. Get some sleep. I promise, we'll find a way to get more answers in the morning."

She finally nods reluctantly, hopping on her bike and heading home.

Chris calls her later, explaining how they'd been at the sheriff's station when the bomb had gone off. Derek was fine now, and he'd saved Chris' life.

When Nixie demanded to talk to Derek, Chris explained that they were still at the station. Suspects of murdering the man named Katashi, aka Silverfinger. When Nixie demanded it again, Chris handed the phone over to the deputy that was standing with him at the phone.

He's not sure what Nixie said to the man. All he knows is that one minute, Cordova had a stern look on his face, and then it immediately turned into one of worry as he set the phone down and took off down the hall. Not thirty seconds later, Derek was dragged in and brought over to the phone.

Raising an eyebrow, Derek asks, "Who exactly is your attorney again?" Chris grins a little and says, "I didn't call my attorney. Just pick up the phone." Derek holds it to his ear, and then smiles a little when Nixie says, "Hey. Heard you saved Chris today. I'm proud of you. I also heard you got impaled by, like, a thousand tiny shards of glass in your back. That was stupid. Don't ever do that again."

Chuckling, Derek says, "Yes ma'am." "Good. Are you okay?" "I'm fine." "You're sure?" "Yes Nixie. I promise." "Okay. You guys need anything? More clothes? Descent food? Coffee?" Derek ponders that a moment, and then looks at Chris and asks, "Coffee in the morning sound good?" Chris nods, so Derek tells her that, to which she says, "I'll bring Starbucks. And some sausage biscuits or something." "I wouldn't push it Nix. I'm not sure what all they'll let you bring back to us at this point."

But he chuckles again when she says, "I'm the favorite visitor of the sheriff, Noah. And I just forced a deputy of the police station to drag your ass back to the phone so I could talk to both you and Chris, at the same time. I think I can get away with bringing you guys coffee and biscuits. Don't under estimate me, Derek. I'm as adorable as I am intimidating. It's a deadly combination that very few can resist. And what on earth are you still laughing at? I'm serious."

* * *

Chapter 7! Sorry this took so long guys. But, as I feared, the weather was not kind to my internet connection. And I should also inform you that I will probably not get to post another chapter until tomorrow. But, the plan is in the works. Fingers crossed, that I get it done. :)


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 8: Episode 3x20

When Nixie arrived the next morning at the station, she first went in to see Noah. The man was distracted, more so than usual. But whatever the actual issue was at the moment, he wasn't revealing that to Nixie yet.

She wasn't exactly pleased about being kept out of the loop, on anything. But, considering all he'd been through already, she lets it slide for now. She leaves him a biscuit and a cup of coffee on his desk, and then says she's going back to see Derek and Chris before she leaves for school.

Noah doesn't really question how she thinks she's going to pull that off, which is another sign that he's very distracted. Nixie ponders exactly what could be the biggest issue at the moment, while she walks back to the holding area.

She's almost there, when a voice from behind her says, "Miss Haven?" Turning, she sees Jordan Parrish coming through the door, walking towards her.

She makes a mental note that he looks very good in his uniform. Not that he didn't look good in a dress shirt and tie as well. But… the uniform suited him. Like he was made to wear it; made to be a cop and a protector of the people. And she probably would've noticed that sooner, if she hadn't been so worried about Stiles the last couple of times she'd seen him.

But she comes out of her pleasant musing with a frown as Jordan asks, "What are you doing? You can't just go back there. It's…" "Parrish. Do you really want to argue with me about this right now?" "No. I'd rather you just come back with me to the front. There are rules in place for a reason. The people back here are dangerous and…"

Turning to face him fully, her sharp blue eyes hitting him in full force, she doesn't even have to speak to cut off his sentence. Then she says, "Firstly, the two men I'm going to see, aren't dangerous. Secondly, they didn't do what you all put them in here for. I don't care what evidence McCall thinks he has… he is wrong. Thirdly, I guarantee you that anyone else in there that you think is dangerous, is nothing compared to me. I can take care of myself."

Stepping up closer to him, she says, "And fourthly, I'm Noah's second favorite person to ever walk in here. Sometimes I'm is first favorite. Stiles and I tend to flip flop on that position. But, bottom line, the man is stressed enough right now as it is. And if you expect to stop me from going in here, then you're going to have to detain me."

Putting one hand on her hip, she asks, "Given all the man's been through already, do you really want to test if he's willing to put up with that today?"

For a long moment, Jordan just stares at her. She was… something else. Finally, he sighs and asks, "Is this always how it's going to be?" "Pretty much. Told you. I'm one of the favorites." Jordan rolls his eyes and says, "I've seen favorites before. Never seen favorites that could come and go from the holding area whenever they pleased." Nixie shrugs and then says with a grin, "You just haven't met the right kind of favorites yet. Don't worry. You'll get used to us eventually."

He finally grins down at her, and then sighs again before reaching out with his keycard and swiping it for her. Raising an eyebrow, he asks, "Just out of curiosity, if I hadn't come along, how were you expecting to get in here?" Nixie smirks and says, "That is for me to know, and you to wonder about." He grins again, and then steps inside with her. When she raises an eyebrow, he says, "I have my limits. I'll wait here for you to be finished. They're three cells down. You're looking for the two that are here for killing Katashi, right?" "Yep. Thanks J… Parrish."

When she reaches their cells, she passes the coffee and biscuits through the bars to them. Chris sighs as he takes a sip, and then asks, "How's everyone holding up?" Nixie shrugs and says, "As best as can be expected I guess. We have Stiles back… but we have no idea for how long. Deaton says he has an idea on how we might finally find a way to save him from the Nogitsune. But it's a long shot."

Derek watches her run a hand through her hair, and then comments, "But right now it's the only shot, so you already plan to take it." "Oh absolutely. We're desperate. Can't you tell?" He grins gently at her, and then reaches through the bars with one hand. Gently cupping her face, he says, "I'm on your side. I just want you to know that. As soon as we can get out of here… I'll help in any way I can." "I know, Derek. I know you were already trying."

When he tilts his head in confusion, Nixie smiles and says, "You're not an ass anymore." He chuckles, and then laughs harder when Nixie sighs and adds, "And if my powers of persuasion were any greater, I'd work on making these guys release you already. But, my power has its limits, unfortunately. Which apparently only extend to being able to get in to bring you breakfast, and forcing people to let me talk to you on the phone."

Derek draws her in, close enough to the bars that he can get to her and press a kiss to her forehead. Then she moves over to Chris and says, "Alison and Lydia are sticking together for now. Both are planning on helping us figure out how to save Stiles. I'll keep eyes on both of them when we get ready for that. But, bottom line, she's safe for now, and I'm watching her." Chris nods and says, "Thank you."

He draws her in the kiss her on the forehead too, and then Nixie says, "I'll see you guys later." And as she turns to head back up the hall, she pauses in surprise when she sees Jordan has moved. No longer waiting by the door, he's standing just a cell block away, his hand waiting near the holster of his gun, eyes flitting between Derek and Chris warily.

Coming up to him, she asks, "What?" He glances down at her, and then says, "They reached out to touch you. They're not supposed to do that." Rolling her eyes, Nixie says, "I told you they weren't dangerous." "I'm sure you believe that." "I don't believe it. I know it. It's a fact, not an opinion. Those two people right there are harmless when it comes to me."

Nudging his hand away from his gun belt, Nixie adds, "Ease up a bit, alright." Jordan begins escorting her back towards the front. As they get out the door, he says, "Look, I'm sorry. It's instinct okay. You're the civilian, and they're the suspects. And until they're cleared of being suspects… I have to watch them and make sure they don't hurt you or anyone else while they're here."

She looks up at him for a bit, head tilted to the side as she studies him for a moment more. Then she smiles gently and says, "You're a good cop, Parrish. Glad you decided to come and join us here in Beacon Hills." He grins a little and says, "Yeah. Me too."

As he leads her to the exit, he can't help chuckling when she adds, "I totally still stand by what I said earlier. Both those men are innocent, and they're harmless when it comes to me. But… at least you explained why you're still acting like they're dangerous. Most people would just look at me like I'm crazy."

Walking her all the way back to her bike in the parking lot, Jordan looks her over briefly, and then says, "I haven't been here long enough to form a better opinion. I'm not really sure what I'd say you are yet." She looks up at him curiously, and then smiles when he finishes, "But crazy… that's definitely not it."

Her smile warms his heart, and he grins back when she says, "Thanks Parrish." "You're welcome. Be seeing you around." "Oh, absolutely. It's not often that I can't be found around here in some capacity." Chuckling, Jordan says, "Yeah. I'm beginning to see that."

And as she drives off down the road, he can't help but think to himself that it's always a pleasure to see her walk through the door. At some point or another, he always ends up smiling. Whether because of something she's done, something she's said, or because of something he can guess that she's about to do.

He should probably worry more about how much he enjoys her presence at the station, but he can't help it.

Meanwhile, as she drives, Nixie can't help but wonder… why she'd almost called him by his first name earlier. He wasn't one of her people. He wasn't someone that she should feel was within her circle of friends and trusted adults. He wasn't someone she should feel inclined to call by his first name.

And yet… calling him Parrish… felt almost wrong to her. But she'd have to worry about that later. Much later.

* * *

When Nixie heads over to Stiles' house later that night, she finds it empty. Stiles' jeep is still there, but Noah's car is gone, and the house is dark and empty.

Not good. Nixie takes her key and hurries through the house, trying to figure out why they would've just up and left without telling anyone, especially her. Sure, Scott left Stiles earlier in the afternoon, but Noah and Stiles should've known that the absence of one of them being near Stiles, wouldn't last forever.

Rummaging around in Noah's room now, going through the papers on his desk to try and figure anything out, she pauses when she lands on a rather new and official looking admittance document. Picking it up, her eyes widen exponentially when she reads 'Eichen House' at the top. She scans the form quickly, and then immediately pulls out her phone as she races back out of the house.

"Scott. Yeah, it's Nixie. Listen, he's gone." Scott sits up straight in bed and asks, "Gone? What do you mean gone? He's Nogitsune again? He was fine earlier. I…" "No, no, no… not like that yet. I mean he's physically gone. Noah is taking him to Eichen House." "Eichen House?! Why…" "Scott, I don't know what's running through Stiles' head right now. I just know that's where they're going. And I'm going to slap someone upside the head. You coming?" "Yeah, I'll meet you there."

Scott's house was closer to Eichen than Stiles'; but Nixie still got there a couple of seconds before him. She pulls up right in front of Noah's car. Not that it mattered. They were already parked and preparing to go inside.

Stiles turns to look at her, and though he doesn't necessarily look happy about why she's here, he smiles a little at her regardless. Then Scott pulls up, and as he hops off his own bike, he asks, "Why didn't you tell us?" Noah sighs and says, "Because we wanted to avoid something like this."

Nixie narrows her eyes at both of them and says, "Consider this a very miserable failure then. And you…" She points to Stiles sternly and says, "You know better than to try and leave me out. At least, you should by now."

Stiles grins slightly again, but can't really hold that smile in place. Then he says, as though it's a good thing, "It's only seventy-two hours." Nixie gives him another hard stare and says, "Yeah. Seventy-two hours where I won't be able to see you, keep an eye on you, or kick someone's ass when they try to hurt you." Scott nods and adds, "And this is the same place where Barrow came from. Okay? The guy who had a tumor inside him, filled with flies."

Turning to Noah, Scott adds, "You don't know everything yet." Noah looks to Nixie pointedly and says, "I'm aware. And you talk about people keeping you in the dark." Nixie shrugs and says gently, "I'm the only one that has ever always demanded to know everything. It's supposed to be obvious by now that all information and updates should be run through me at some point."

Noah can't help grinning at her a little, but then says to both of them, "Regardless; I might not know everything, but I know enough. Nogitsunes, kitsunes, Oni, or whatever they're called." Stiles turns to him with an impressed look and says, "Wow. That's actually all surprisingly accurate."

Nixie nods too, and then freezes when Noah says, "You guys… I saw an MRI that looked exactly like my wife's. And it terrifies me." Everyone feels a sudden chill sweep through the night air, and then Noah adds, "I'm headed down to L.A. tomorrow to talk to a specialist." Scott doesn't argue with that, but then gestures to the creepy building beyond them and asks, "Then why are you putting him in here?"

That's when Stiles intervenes, "He's not. It was my decision."

The chill gets even colder, but it was Nixie's voice that called Stiles attention back to her. No longer angry and offended, or even sarcastic to try and make someone smile. Her voice was small and quite possibly broken when she asks, "Stiles?"

He gives her a wry smile in response, and then looks at Scott, who says, "Stiles, I can't help you if you're in there." But Stiles immediately counters, "And I can't hurt you." "But Deaton's got some ideas. Argent's calling people. We're gonna find something, Stiles. And if we can't…"

When Scott can't think of anything else to say, Stiles step up and says, "If you can't… then you guys have to do something for me. Alright?" Leaning closer, he says firmly, "Make sure I never get out."

Scott just looks at him in surprise, definitely not liking that idea. Nixie hasn't moved, but simply says softly again, "Stiles?"

He glances up at the storm clouds that are suddenly gathering around them. No rain yet, but it was looking like it was getting ready to fall. Then he turns his attention back to Nixie. He runs his hands over the sides of her head before moving down to cup her cheeks in his hands. "I don't… remember much right after the hospital, Nixie. It's a blur that I can't see. But I remember… I remember some of what happened after you guys found me again. I remember what I did to Scott."

She knows he's referring to the samurai sword that was stuck through Scott's stomach. Shaking her head, she says, "But it wasn't you. It wasn't. It was…" Stiles nods and says gently, "It was the Nogitsune. I… I understand that. But… it was still me. Physically. And I can't hold him back forever."

He squeezes her a little tighter in his hands and says, "And Scott… he told me that I… that he threatened you. That that's how he finally got himself completely into my head. He was going to hurt you. And I apparently believed him, because I let him in."

Stiles brushes some of her hair out of the way of her face, his eyes scanning over her features as though trying to memorize them. Shaking his head, he says, "Scott heals, and I still can't believe I actually did what I did to him. But you… Nixie, you're human. You don't heal, not like him and not like the others. And if I ever did something like that to you, something that you couldn't recover from…"

He grits his teeth for a moment, willing his own tears to stay away. Nixie can see the resolution in his eyes. He'd given this a lot of thought, despite what Scott and Nixie might think otherwise. And he was trying to do all he could, as a human, to keep them safe from the evil that was inside his head. And if they couldn't find a way to get the Nogitsune out of him, then it wasn't a matter of if it would take over again. It was a matter of when.

Stiles shakes his head at her and says, "If I ever hurt you that way, I'd never forgive myself." Nixie stares up at him for a moment longer, and then comes closer and rests her head on his chest. Squeezing him as tightly as she can, trembling as his arms wrap around her just as tightly, she says, "We will find a way to fix this Stiles. I'll get him out of you. I promise." She feels him kiss the top of her head for a long moment, and then hears him say, "I know it, Nix. If anyone could ever be stubborn enough to do it for me… it'd be you and Scott."

He leans back from her after that, kisses her on the forehead, and then joins his dad in entering this place. Nixie stares up at the huge building and gates for a moment. Eichen House was a place she already hated. Her mother was here, permanently, and in such a capacity that Nixie wasn't even technically allowed to visit her anymore. It was up in the air, sometimes, whether or not Nixie was even really allowed on the premises of this place at all.

Heading back for her bike, Nixie says, "Come on Scott." He joins her on his own and asks, "Where are we going?" "Anywhere we can that will help us figure out how to kill a damn fox. Because he is not staying in here." Glancing over at Scott, she adds, "Hell will freeze over first."

He nods back to her, and then asks, "You wanna hit me in the back of the head?" "Why would I want to do that?" "Well, when we came over, you said you were going to hit someone in the back of the head. Turns out, you couldn't do it to Stiles or Noah." Leaning closer, he adds, "I'm willing to sacrifice my cranium for a moment, if it'll help at all."

Nixie raises an eyebrow and asks, "How does slapping you in the back of the head help us?" Scott shrugs, but then confesses, "It might make you smile. Just a little." Nixie softens her gaze at him, and then says gently, "I'll smile later. When we have a possible lead on how to save Stiles." "Gotcha."

And then he freezes when he feels a hand slap the back of his head. Turning to look at her, he asks, "And what was that for?"

He laughs when she says, "For trying to make me smile before we find out how to save Stiles. Really? I trained you to be smarter than that. And what on earth are you laughing about right now? I'm serious."

* * *

When Nixie and Scott arrive at the clinic the next morning, Alison and Deaton are already there. Alison turns to look at them, a severely annoyed look on her face, as she says, "They won't let Deaton talk to my dad. Says he already had his one phone call and…" Nixie waves a hand at her to not worry, and then gently takes the phone from Deaton.

She listens to the officer on the other end, and then smirks a little before saying, "Cordova." The man stops talking instantly, and Nixie nods and asks, "Do I need to remind you of the regulations again? Besides, Chris didn't call us, we called him. Different set of regulations entirely. And if you actually try to break them right now, I will have your badge, gun, and right to serve on the force revoked so fast, the God damn sound barrier will break in the process. Understand?"

There's a slight stammer on the other end, before the phone is set down on some surface. Handing the phone back to Deaton, Nixie says, "Put in on speaker. Chris will be here in a minute."

Deaton sets the phone up, and then looks up at her and asks, "Regulations?" Nixie nods, and then says, "Oh, I admit the last time I threatened him it wasn't entirely all true. I got him to let me talk to Chris and Derek at the same time. That probably wasn't within regulations. But this… we're calling to talk to an inmate. Well within our rights to do so. Just watch how fast I could get him fired. You think werewolves are fast? Ha! Child's play."

They all grin at her, and then hear the phone get picked up. Chris, on the other end, says, "Hello Nixie. Glad to see you can still scare the man into letting me talk on the phone." "It's becoming something of a specialty of mine." "I can see that."

Then to Deaton, Chris asks, "Did you have any trouble with Ikeda?" Deaton looks up at Nixie's inquisitive gaze and explains, "The man I stole the lichen from that was injected into Stiles." Back to the phone, he says, "And only minor. The white wolf was exactly where you said it would be. But… we have two problems now."

Nixie raises an eyebrow and asks, "Only two? Damn. We're doing better than I thought we were. Scott? Were you aware we only had two problems?" Scott shakes his head in agreement, and then chuckles a little when Deaton looks at both of them and says, "Two that I am focusing on." Nixie nods and says, "Ah. See, you gotta be specific Doc."

He grins at her, and then says, "First problem; the lichen is not a cure. It'll wear off in a matter of days." On the other end, Chris says, "But while it does work, the Oni won't go after Stiles. Right?" "I hope. Eichen House has an unusual history. It might not be all that safe for the Oni there as well."

Scott and Alison both look slightly curious about that history, but Nixie just nods. Deaton turns to her more closely, wondering why she isn't just as interested by this as the other two… but that'll have to wait for another day.

In her own head, Nixie is aware that she already knows far more about Eichen House then anyone should be comfortable with. Because her mother is there. And just because she couldn't visit, didn't mean she hadn't taken the time to learn everything she could over the years, about the place that her mother was confined to, basically for forever.

Over the phone again, Chris asks, "What's the second problem?" Deaton sighs and says, "I checked with your contacts in Japan. And the Yakuza boss you saw killed by the Oni, never found the scroll."

Nixie tilts her head curiously now, and nods in agreement to Scott's question when he asks, "What scroll?" Deaton answers, "A Shugendo scroll. The Shugendo were the ascetic mystics of Japan." And Chris adds, "The scroll had information on how to exorcise a Nogitsune."

Standing up straighter, Nixie says, "So we definitely need to find that scroll." Deaton nods in agreement, and then says to Chris over the phone, "And I did get a name of the man who last purchased it. Kincaid." Alison leans forward and says, "He was with Katashi. He was the one that met Isaac to buy the gun we were going to sell him."

While Deaton and Chris talk about where Katashi might've kept it, since the cops didn't find it among his things, Alison asks, "What's the scroll look like?" Deaton gets up to grab a scroll that he has, and hands it to her while saying, "Something like this."

And… well, this one, based on its size, definitely would've been found by now. But Nixie can see the gears turning in Alison's head. Nudging her gently, Nixie says, "Share with the rest of us. What's going on up there?" Alison turns to her, and then back to Deaton to ask, "Do these come in different sizes?"

Curious himself to see where she's going with this, Deaton nods, "Any size." Smiling a little, Alison says, "Then I think I know where it might be. If Katashi was a man who would keep it close at all times… then in his finger. In the silver finger on his hand. It would be a perfect and convenient hiding spot, and an excellent way to keep it close at all times."

Nixie nods, and then says, "Well, then we need to break into the evidence locker again. That's where the finger will be." But then Chris adds, "Unless the FBI decides to take over. If they do, it won't be here for much longer. I can keep a lookout for signs of that. Derek can listen. But if we need to talk to you again…"

Over the phone he hears Nixie ask, "Is Cordova still there?" Chris looks to the man and says, "Yeah." "Hand him the phone please."

Chris holds out the phone and says, "She wants to talk to you." Cordova, for his part, does not look at all thrilled by this, but takes the phone anyway. And then, after a minute, he nods and says, "Okay." Hanging up after that, he looks to Chris and says, "You are allowed to call Alison Argent, your daughter, and Nixie Haven. No other numbers. Understand?" Chris nods, and though he tries, he can't keep the grin off his face as he's taken back to his cell.

And when Derek asks why he's so happy, Chris simply says, "I'm just glad we have Nixie on our side. I'd hate to think of what we'd be going through if she wasn't."

* * *

When they get to Alison's house later, she tells them, "My dad was right. He says all of the evidence is being moved to federal lockup by armored car, tonight. And probably within the next few hours."

Lydia, standing in the hall with Alison, smiles at Nixie with a nod. Whatever the plan was to help save Stiles, she wanted to be a part of it. And Nixie smiles back, clearly in approval of her involvement. Besides, if they were actually going to do this, they'd need all the help they could get.

As if to emphasize just how hard this was going to be, Aiden asks in disbelief, "We're going to rob an armored car?" Lydia tilts her head and answers, "Well… we're definitely going to try." And then Nixie says, "And we're going to succeed. This is Stiles we're talking about. Failure is not an option."

And as she walks away to get ready, the others laugh when she adds, "Besides. This is just another awesome detail to add to our resumes. Grave-robbery, evidence locker theft, and now robbing an armored car. We're literally turning into a heist planner's dream team. Let's move people."

While she's gathering more daggers from the closet in the room and Alison is preparing her arrows, Scott sighs as Lydia explains the plan to him. Finally, he says, "This is a really bad plan." Lydia says, in a falsely optimistic voice, "It's not that bad." To which Aiden comes to her other side and says, "It's not that good."

Lydia just gives him a look, and then says, "Look, none of us knows the route they're going to take. If Alison can get one of her dad's GPS trackers on the car, then we can follow it." Alison nods, coming over to the map on the table. Pointing to the squared in name of Roosevelt Bridge, she says, "So when it gets here…"

Ethan jumps in and says, "We attack them." All eyes turn to him for a moment, and Lydia says in annoyance, "No. Your bikes will be in the middle of the road, looking like you guys had an accident. And when the drivers get out to help you…" Ethan nods in understanding, but then jumps in again with, "We attach them."

Alison, Lydia, Scott, and Nixie all say at the same time, "No!" Sighing, Lydia says, "You distract him. And Scott will break open the back door." When their eyes turn to Scott, he sighs and says, "I hope." Lydia narrows her eyes in annoyance at his pessimistic attitude right now, and then says to Aiden, "And you'll get Katashi's finger."

Aiden then asks, "It's not his actual finger, is it?"

Scott, Alison, Lydia and Nixie look at each other again, and Lydia sighs and says, "You guys are so out of our league." When both twins give them confused looks, Nixie says, "Look. I know we didn't tear apart our own pack and slaughter a bunch of werewolves. But I just told you we've been grave robbing, evidence stealing, and evidence manipulating individuals. Do you have any idea how many of these things we've done and tried to pull off? Not always with success, mind you. But do you have any idea all of what we've tried to do before we even met you guys?"

To Aiden, she says, "We don't care if it's his actual finger. We don't care if the finger is still attached to the rest of his body. Just get the damn thing." Sighing, Aiden asks, "Why aren't we just going to Stilinski for help? He could get us in before the evidence is even moved, couldn't he?"

Scott doesn't deny that, but says, "But if he gets caught, then it's the sheriff tampering with federal evidence." And Nixie adds, "And when we get Stiles back, he'll have enough to worry about without having to add Noah being fired to the list. He's already looking at dealing with a case for impeachment. We're not going to make it any harder on him to keep his job at this point."

The twins finally nod in understanding. Alison looks around at all of them and says, "Guys, this is going to work. We can do this. We're losing Stiles. My dad is in jail for murder. We need to do this."

They all stay quiet for a moment, but then everyone grins when Nixie says, "I'm with Scott though. This is a terrible plan. One that seems almost destined for failure."

Then she twirls one of her daggers and grins at all of them before saying, "So… what are we waiting for exactly?"

* * *

When Scott pulls up with Kira on the back of his bike, Nixie raises an eyebrow. Gesturing to her, Nixie says, "Don't mean to point out the obvious, but you picked up a stray back there." Scott grins a little at her, and then pulls Kira to stand with them. Nodding, he says, "She's here to help."

Alison looks wary for a moment. After all, it was Kira's mom who was using the Oni to try and kill the Nogitsune, and consequently, Stiles. But she relaxes when Nixie says, as though stating a fact, "Well, obviously. I said it before. Kira's awesome. But what exactly is she going to do? I thought we filled all the positions in this plan."

Scott nods, but then says, "She's gonna plant the tracker. You, instead, stay back here with me and Alison. Kira can handle her own, but if push comes to shove, I want you with us as a surprise attack. Alright?" Nixie shrugs and says, "Sure. On a side note though, people who don't know me are always surprised when I end up fighting back and winning. They think short and adorable somehow means defenseless."

She looks to Kira and whispers loudly, "Idiots. Am I right?" Kira grins and nods, and then Nixie looks to the others and says, "Alright. Let's bunker down and get ready to start this."

They hide between two police cruisers, Alison looking through her scope to determine the best opportunity for Kira to run up with the device. As soon as the back doors are locked and the driver hops inside, she turns to Kira and says, "You're up." Nixie hands her the device and says, "In and out in less than fifteen seconds. Go."

Nodding, Kira sprints up to the armored car, and plants the device under the tailgate. And she was about to sprint back, when the door nearby began to open. She scrambles to hide behind the back wheel on the other side of the car.

Nixie lifts her head to see who just came out, and then curses under her breath before muttering, "Damn it, Parrish." Scott looks over at her and asks, "Who?" "Parrish. He's one of the new hires." "Right. And we don't like him?" "Oh no, we do like him. He's one of the best ones Noah interviewed, actually."

Turning back to the car, Nixie says, "I'm just pissed he couldn't have waited another five seconds to come out the door."

As Jordan prepares to hop into the car, he pauses upon seeing his partner with a clocked skull. Jumping back down and pulling out his gun, he slowly begins surveying the area around the car.

Frowning from their hiding spot, Nixie says, "Something's wrong." Alison questions, "How do you know? He might just be doing a perimeter check." "First of all, Kira is on the perimeter. We already have a problem there." Turning back to Jordan, Nixie adds, "Second of all, the man doesn't pull out his gun unless he's completely sure there's a threat nearby. And it's not Kira he'd be looking for. So we have a problem… aside from the fact that Kira is about to be caught."

Scott nods and says, "We have to do something." But even as he makes to move, the doors to the back of the armored car fly open. And a huge, hulk of a man jumps down to the ground, grabs Parrish, and slams him against the back of the car. So much force behind it that Parrish goes down and hits the ground hard, immediately unconscious.

Nixie is staring at his prone body with… well, she doesn't understand it. She's felt this type of rage before. It wasn't that it was new that was confusing to her. She'd felt it when she realized that Jackson had dumped Lydia and broken her heart. That's why she'd proceeded to bash his face in with her fists, even if Lydia and her hadn't technically been friends at that point. She'd felt it for Peter, who left Lydia to die on a lacrosse field, and when he'd kidnapped Stiles. She'd felt it for Gerard, and Kate. She felt it when the people that mattered to her, the people who were basically her entire world, were in danger and hurt.

Which is why it didn't make any sense for her to feel it right now. All of her people, at least for now, were fine. There was a fight about to happen, that was a fact. But Jordan… he was the one who was hurt. And he wasn't hers. He wasn't one of her people. Not yet, anyway. Sure, maybe he could be in the future. But he wasn't yet. At least, he shouldn't be.

And yet, Nixie was more than ready to try and rip this new werewolf's head off for putting Jordan on the ground. Glaring at him, she asks through her teeth, "Who the hell is that?" Alison lowers her scope and says, "Kincaid." Nodding, Nixie says, "For the record, I really don't like him. So… I say we go kick his ass. Like, immediately. Without fail."

Turning to Scott, she asks, "Can I suggest we kill him?" "No!" "Fine, fine. But I really don't like him. Like… it's exceptional, the level of dislike I'm feeling right now." She glances back at Jordan's figure on the ground and adds softly to herself, "Which makes no sense… but what the hell?"

As Kincaid finds the finger and pulls it out of the evidence, Scott comes up behind him and says, "We need that finger." Kincaid turns to see him, and then glances at Alison, who has her crossbow leveled at him, ready to fire. Then he looks at Nixie, who twirls her daggers meaningfully in her hands, a silent threat that dares him to argue.

As expected though, he doesn't really see them as a threat. Smirking, he asks, "Why should I give it to you?" Nixie tilts her head and asks, "Did he not just say we needed it?" Then she glances at Alison and says, "A little slow, this one." Kincaid narrows his eyes at her a little, but doesn't lost his grin. Alison grins over at Nixie, and then gestures to the armored car and says to Kincaid, "There's a briefcase in there with one-hundred and fifty thousand in it. Take it."

Kincaid raises an eyebrow and then holds up the finger and explains, "The scroll inside this prosthetic finger is worth three million. At least." Nixie tilts her head again and says, "Wow. That… actually is impressive." Kincaid nods to her with a wider grin, but then looks back to Scott, who says, "Give me the finger."

Kincaid gives him a look, but doesn't have to explain. Nixie closes her eyes and sighs before saying, "Oh, my dear Scott. Please think about what you just said for a minute." Scott does, and then rolls his eyes and says, "You know what I mean. Hand it over."

In the meantime, Kira had been climbing to the top of the car. Now, leaping down from on top, she lands on Kincaid's back. Wrapping herself around him, she tries to take the finger, or at least hold onto him so the others can try.

But Kincaid doesn't even look fazed. He grabs her arm and tosses her to the side. Then, lowering himself into a defensive stance, he says, "I guess negotiations are over." Claws extend, teeth lengthen, and blue eyes begin to glow as Kincaid roars at them.

Nixie stares for a moment, and then nods and says, "Noted. He's killed people before. In which case, everyone remember not to hold back."

In response to that, Alison launches an arrow into Kincaid's arm. But he pulls it out in mere annoyance. Kira goes after him after that, but he grabs her by the throat and tosses her aside again. Then he brings his arm about, ready to slap Alison across the face and send her flying as well.

Nixie jumps into the way of that, slicing into his arm painfully. It doesn't stop him from hitting her, sending both her and Alison back into the wall nearby. But he does roar in pain, which Nixie considers a small accomplishment.

Then Scott attacks him, but the man doesn't seem to be fazed by much of anything. Nixie makes to stand up and help him, but Scott looks over at her and says, "No! Stay with them!"

She doesn't like it exactly, but she remains in a protective position in front of Kira and Alison. Though as Scott gets taken down to the ground, she grits her teeth and has to use a severe amount of willpower to remain in place as Kincaid bends down to him.

Looking Scott over, the man says, "You have the eyes of an alpha. But where's the strength?" Scott looks up at him, and then glances over at Nixie and says, "There. Protecting what matters most." Kincaid looks over to Nixie; the one who had jumped into his path so he didn't hit Alison. He had to admit, he was impressed that she'd moved fast enough. Even more impressed that she had gotten right back up, and only wasn't fighting him because Scott had told her to stay put.

Then, in further answer to his question, the twins shout from up above, "And up here."

And Nixie can't help it. She's beyond pleased when, working together, the twins kick Kincaid's ass. They bombard him with so many moves, the twins working in sync in a way others can't, that he can barely get any of his own punches in to defend himself.

Which is why Nixie doesn't tell them to stop. But as Kincaid goes down, Scott jerks to look up at them and says, "Stop! Guys!" They leap down from the platform they were standing on, but both do finally pause when Lydia rushes down and shouts, "Stop!"

Ethan snarls slightly and asks, "You want him to come after us?" Aiden nods and adds, "Scott, we've seen guys like this before. Trust us. He's dangerous." Scott rises to his feet and then looks over at Nixie. Raising an eyebrow, she says, "I know you're not looking at me to argue with them. I'd be perfectly content if they popped his stupid little head clean off, right here and now. In fact, I'll help them clean up the mess afterwards."

Ethan and Aiden grin at that, but then Scott looks down to Kincaid and says, "And she means that. You do hear that, right?" Kincaid looks up at Scott, then over to Nixie. The sureness in her stance, the glare in her eyes, and the steadiness of her heartbeat all spoke to him. She was serious. She'd happily watch the twins kill him, and then help them get away with it.

He nods to Scott that he understands, and then Scott looks up to the twins and says, "He's dangerous, but so are we. And he looks smart enough to remember that now." Back to Kincaid, Scott says, "Give us the silver finger." Kincaid looks all around him, and Nixie can see that he'd likely try to fight them again. He really wanted the finger, and the money he could get for it.

There was a look in his eye as he took it out of his pocket. Like he was about ready to simply fling it down a sewer drain to spite them, never to see it again. And Nixie would make sure he died for it if he did that… but since they really needed the scroll and couldn't afford to lose it...

Kincaid pauses in his actions when Nixie suddenly asks, "Why do you want it?" He raises an eyebrow at her and says, "I just told you. It's worth…" "No, I get that it's worth a lot of money. I mean is there any other reason you want it? Is it just the money you can get for it?" Kincaid nods in confusion, until Nixie nods and says, "Then you can have it. After we know what it says."

Scott tilts his head at her, wondering what she's doing. Shrugging, she explains, "He'd likely crush it and swallow it before he gives it to us to have. And we don't need it for money or even to keep secret forever. We just need to know what it says so we can save Stiles."

Nodding towards Kincaid, she says, "Take it to Deaton. Have it translated. Hand it back to him. Then he can take it, sell it for whatever he wants, and go as far away from here as possible." Looking sternly to Kincaid, she adds, "And never… I repeat, never… come back to Beacon Hills."

The man stares at her for a moment, before nodding and handing the finger gently over to Scott. Scott gently knocks the scroll out of the finger and into his palm. The thing is literally almost no bigger in size than a thumb-tack. But it's a scroll. And hopefully, it's going to help them save Stiles.

Scott nods to Nixie in approval, and then says, "See? And you didn't even have to threaten to kill him." Nixie gives him a look and says, "Don't push it. I'm still likely to stab him in the face, simply because he threw Kira to the side like a rag doll."

Scott doesn't argue, but then points out to everyone, "We came here to save a life. Not to end one." Looking to Nixie, he says, "We've talked about this." "Yeah, I'm aware. And I'll have you know, I haven't actually killed anyone I've threatened yet. I am just very prepared and able to do so."

Shrugging, she adds, "And most people are smart enough, realize that, and leave us the hell alone afterwards… eventually."

Scott grins at her, and then as they all prepare to leave, he glances back to see her remaining.

Bending down to Jordan's side, who is still unconscious on the ground, Nixie gently brushes some of his hair back from his forehead.

She couldn't leave him here like this… with no explanation whatsoever as to what the hell happened. And if Kincaid was leaving… really leaving, as soon as they had the scroll translated…

Looking up at Scott, she says, "I'm gonna stay. Help explain this. Kincaid… I'm blaming you. So as soon as we have that thing read and written down somewhere for our own knowledge, you get the hell out of town and do not come back."

He nods, but doesn't move as she walks up to him after that. Glaring, she says, "And make no mistake. If you try to take it before we know what it says. And if you hurt any of my people again in the process." Pointing to Scott, she says, "If you so much as move any hair on my boy's head out of place, it won't matter how much money you get, or how far you run. I will hunt your ass down, and I will hurt you in ways you could not possibly imagine."

Then she turns to Scott and says, "And I didn't threaten to kill him. Be happy. Keep me posted. Now, all of you get out of here."

Lydia watches as she walks back to Jordan's prone body. There was something different here that Lydia couldn't place. The way Nixie brushed the hair from his head… the way she tried to shift his body gently so he might be more comfortable, even while he was still unconscious.

She wasn't sure what exactly was different about this… but Lydia was determined to figure out what Nixie saw in this man that made her act so differently around him than she did anybody else outside their circle. To the others, she says, "I'm gonna stay with Nixie. Help her explain this away. You guys go ahead."

Alison frowns slightly and asks, "Are you sure that's safe?" To which Lydia answers simply, "I'll be with Nixie. Of course it's safe."

After the others leave, Lydia comes over to Nixie's side. She's still watching over the deputy right now, eyes full of concern while looking over his unconscious form. Bending down with her, Lydia asks, "Who is he to you?"

Nixie looks up at her, and then shrugs and says, "He's just one of Noah's new deputies. You know? One of the ones he asked me to look at." Lydia nods and says, "Okay. But who is he to you?"

Blinking in confusion, Nixie asks, "What do you mean?" "I mean… you're looking at him like you would look at any one of us when we get hurt. So who is he?" Nixie ponders that for a moment, and then says, "I don't know. I… I just know that out of all the new deputies Noah hired, he's the best."

Lydia tilts her head and asks, "How? You mean with your feeling? The thing you do?" "Yeah. That's what I was doing for Noah. It's what Stiles told him I could do. I mean… he interviewed them anyway and made his own choice. I was just… kind of giving a second opinion."

Pointing at Jordan, Nixie says, "But he was the best. Out of all of them, he's the best." Smiling, Lydia says, "Meaning that compared to others, it only took you a few seconds to decide if you liked him or not. Same as with Scott and Stiles. Same as with Alison and me and Kira. Okay, so…"

Nixie frowns a bit, and then looks to Lydia, debating for a moment if she wants to admit this. Then she sighs and says, "Um… actually… it was different than that. Faster." To Nixie again, Lydia asks, "What do you mean? You've always been fast at deciding who you like and don't like." "Yeah, I know. But this was different. It wasn't just quick. It didn't even take just a few seconds."

Looking over Jordan again, Nixie says, "It was… instant. It didn't take seconds. I knew… I knew the minute I looked at him that he was a good one. That he was a good choice." Sighing, Nixie runs a hand over her hair and says, "And I have no idea what that means or why."

Lydia nods after a moment, and then says, "Well. For now, at the very least, it means I'm going to try and find a first aid kit in the front seat so we can take care of him. He's going to have a nasty headache when he wakes up." "Yeah. Sounds good. And check on the driver, would you? I'm pretty sure that's why Jordan turned around instantly to look for danger."

Lydia nods that she will. But on her way, she pauses and turns back to look at Nixie. She's brushing away some of Jordan's hair again, trying to gently maneuver him into a better position, when she hears Lydia comment, "You called him Jordan."

Nixie pauses for a second, but then nods and says offhandedly, "That's his first name. Jordan Parrish." Lydia doesn't miss how Nixie keeps herself turned towards the deputy, or how she avoids meeting Lydia's curious gaze. She also doesn't miss the slight blush that came to Nixie's cheeks at having been caught.

Whether it made sense or not. Whether Nixie really even understood it or not… Lydia had a feeling that she knew what this was. She'd need to explore it more to make sure she was right… but she was pretty sure she knew.

Nixie, like it or not, had a crush on Noah's newest deputy. She was falling for a police officer, in a world where they were teenagers chasing after supernatural villains that Jordan probably couldn't even imagine facing yet.

And Lydia can't help but shake her head in amusement at that. Because as if their lives weren't complicated enough already.

* * *

When Jordan wakes up, it's with a much less substantial headache then he was expecting. There's something cold against the back of his head, easing the ache that should be there from the blow he took.

Opening his eyes, he finds a blurry figure in front of him, keeping him upright against the wall behind him.

As the world slowly comes back into focus, he hears Nixie's voice say, "Hey, he's waking up. Go check on the other guy again. And where the hell are the rest of the cops? We're like, right outside the station almost. They should seriously be here by now."

Lydia, on her way to the driver, raises an eyebrow and says, "You called them, literally, five seconds ago, Nixie." "Exactly."

Turning her attention back to Jordan, she says, "Hey. How you feeling?" He winces slightly, but then says, "Stupid." Nixie grins a little and says, "Yeah, well, I wouldn't call it your fault. Guy that clocked you was a hulk of a man. And besides, your partner up front should've done a more thorough check of the car before just hopping into the front seat, like everything was already hunky-dory."

Jordan lifts his gaze to hers, and then asks, "What are you doing here?" "Currently, I'm trying to make sure you don't have a concussion. Follow my finger with your eyes, alright?" He does as she says, and when he successfully passes that little test of hers, he asks, "Seriously. What are you doing here?" "I was coming to see McCall about the move. Wanted to make sure he was informing his bosses to do a thorough search of all this stuff."

Glancing at the car, she says, "Because somewhere in all that mess, is evidence that will clear Chris and Derek of all charges." Back to Jordan, she says, "Hope nothing valuable or important was taken. I didn't try to see if anything was. Though considering how fast the dude that hit you left, I'm guessing he might've already had what he wanted before he took off."

Jordan nods, and then asks, "You saw him?" "Yeah. Huge bastard. And I don't mean, he's a huge asshole type of bastard. I mean he's a bastard, and the dude was huge." Jordan can't help but grin, and then sighs after a moment and says, "Thanks for the ice pack."

Nixie blinks a little in confusion, but then blushes a bit and says, "That's my hand. But you're welcome, regardless." Jordan stares at her a moment, and then reaches back for the cold object on his head. And sure enough, it's her hand. Cupping it in both of his, disregarding the slight pain in his head now, he says, "You're freezing!" "No. I just… I'm always cold. I feel fine, don't worry. You're the one with a lump on your head the size of a golf ball."

She puts her hand back on his head, over the lump she can feel. Beneath all his hair, you couldn't see it, but she could feel it. And it honestly gave her second thoughts about letting Kincaid eventually have the scroll.

When the rest of the cops finally show up, she and Lydia are pulled to the side to give their statements. They'd already worked out their stories. Nixie was coming to check that McCall was going to take good care of the evidence. And seeing that it was Nixie, and she was always kind of sticking her nose into investigations like this, no one really questioned it. Lydia was the one they had to worry about explaining.

But all Lydia had to say was that she was with Nixie and wanted to stay with her when she came down. Everyone bought that. Then they bring Nixie inside to give a description to a sketch artist. And she does her best for them. She literally holds nothing back. If Kincaid wasn't smart enough to already be on his way out of Beacon Hills, then he deserved to be arrested before he could sell the damn scroll.

When all is said and done, and Nixie is preparing to leave, already having sent Lydia home, she pauses when she sees Jordan walking out of the station towards her. Coming up to her side, he says, "Listen… thanks for your help back there." "Sure."

He tilts his head at her, and then says, "You're aware that not everybody would've done that. Right? Most people would've tried to follow the guy and claim a reward. Or run away in fear of being caught. Or run away in fear of getting arrested and suspected of helping."

Nixie shrugs to all of that, and then says, "I'm not like everybody else. And I don't care about money or what other people think. And I'm not scared." "Of anything?" "Of very little. Least of which is going to be some dumbass robbing an armored car."

Gesturing to him, she says, "You're a person. You matter. I might not always agree with Scott on the idea that every person on this planet matters. If you manage to catch the bastard, I'm not gonna cry when he goes to jail or if you have to hurt him in the process."

She looks him over one more time, and then says gently, "But you're a good person. So you matter. So I stayed to help." Then she adds sarcastically, "Which is not exactly rocket science to me. It's simple."

Jordan stares at her for a moment, and then smiles a bit before saying, "You are… something else." Nixie grins and says, "Just don't ever call me a compact ninja. I will kick your ass. And then I'll have to be arrested for punching an officer of the law. Which would piss me off even more." Jordan chuckles, but then says, "I wouldn't press charges."

Nixie stares back at him for a moment, and then smiles again and says, "Thanks Parrish." "Sure thing Miss Haven." "And Parrish… it's Nixie." "Right. Sorry. Goodnight Nixie." "Night."

And on her way home, she sighs and says, "I seriously need to figure out what is going on with me." Because she'd blushed more tonight than she usually did in a week, or month, or year. And there was something akin to the feeling of butterflies fluttering around in her stomach whenever Jordan came closer to her.

She has no idea why that would happen. All of these sensations are rather strange to her, if she's honest.

But she'll worry about that another day. You know, when they're not trying to save Stiles from being possessed forever by a demonic Nogitsune with a severe grudge against all of humanity. Yeah… she'll worry about it after that.

* * *

When she gets inside her apartment, after she closes the door, the first thing she realizes is that the door was no longer locked. Which, could've just been the manager barging in to do a room check for drugs and things. He was allowed those kind of privileges in the contract he had all his tenants sign.

But, Nixie found out it wasn't that, when she came into her kitchen and saw a young woman sitting at her table, eating straight out a box of cereal. Raising an eyebrow, Nixie looks her over carefully, and then finally remembers where she knows that face from.

The girl they'd changed back from a coyote while Nixie had been unconscious at the clinic. Malia.

Malia looks up upon seeing her, and stops chewing to just stare at her for a moment. Then she swallows what's in her mouth and says, "Stiles told me to come find you."

Well, that was a bit encouraging. Coming into the room, shedding her coat, Nixie says, "Alright then. What else did he say?" "Not much. I mean, he explained to me about how he's possessed by a fox spirit. I'm pretty sure he's been taken back over, by the way. There were some sort of lines on his back that basically meant the poison was still fighting the spirit. But then the lines vanished, and Stiles left me tied up in the basement."

Nixie blinks, and then looks up at Malia again and asks, "The basement? The Eichen House basement?" "Yeah. What other basement would we have been in?" Raising an eyebrow again, Nixie says, "Touché."

Nixie then nods towards the box of cereal and asks, "And you're munching your way through my entire box of Frosted Flakes because…" Malia looks to the box, and then to Nixie and says, "I was hungry. And I didn't know how to cook the hamburger in your fridge." "Right. Because the fact that you're eating my food at all, basically a complete stranger, isn't the weird part in all of this."

Malia thinks she should maybe feel bad for all of a minute, but then Nixie sets about pulling out the meat and flattening it into patties to cook. Glancing back at Malia, Nixie asks, "Why'd Stiles tell you to come find me?" "He said you and Scott could help me." "Help you with what?" "Help me change back into a coyote."

Nixie pauses at that, and then asks, "You sure you want to do that?" "I want to be able to, at least. Though… being human isn't all bad. Stiles showed me that." Smiling, Nixie says, "Yeah. Stiles is good at that." "So, you've had sex with him too?"

Nixie is glad she hadn't been drinking or eating anything at that point. She probably would've spit it out all over the stove. Turning to Malia, she says, "No. No, definitely not. Stiles is just… well, when he's not possessed by evil spirits, he's the epitome of what an awesome human being is." When Malia gives her a confused look, Nixie shortens her sentence to say, "Stiles is awesome. Basically." "Oh. Yeah."

After the burgers are cooked, Malia makes to grab one and just eat it. But Nixie snatches her wrist and says, "I get that you were a coyote for a long time, so manners are something you're kind of short on. Got it. So, you're going to let me teach you. First things first. You don't just grab the food off the plate. Go sit down."

Malia nods after a moment, and then says, "Stiles said you would be good for that." "Good for what, exactly?" "Teaching me how to be human. He said you'd be a good example for me." Nixie grins a little at that, and then says, "Stiles would be better. But until we get him back, I'll make due."

She sets out the buns, the condiments, and then says, "Okay. Here is lesson number one. How to put together a burger. Start with the bun…"

Malia eats three of the four burgers that Nixie made, and then changes into her pajamas and makes to crash on the couch. But Nixie shakes her head and says, "Nope. Up." "So where do I sleep?" "In the bed, if you're staying here. Are you sure you don't want to go home?" Malia shakes her head and says, "Not tonight."

Nixie leads Malia into the bedroom, and then sets about tucking her in. She's about to leave, when Malia says, "You can stay. If you want. I mean… I know… Stiles said I was a bit direct and gruff… but we can share. I mean… unless you don't want me to keep you cold. I always seem to be cold nowadays."

Nixie leaves the room for a moment, coming back with the heater from the bathroom. Turning it on and pointing it towards the bed, she says, "That should help a little. And as for you being cold… that won't bother me. I'm always cold."

Slipping in on the side closest to the wall, she says, "Get some sleep Malia. I've got to make a few calls first, but you go ahead and get some sleep."

Malia nods, and then Nixie pulls out her phone. She first calls Scott, informing him that Malia is with her, and that Stiles isn't Stiles anymore. That's when Malia turns to her and says, "Oh. And I brought some stuff with me from Eichen house. Stuff that Stiles and I found. A picture that he seemed to think was important. And some sort of sword. It was all behind a wall, where some dead body was buried that Stiles said was the Nogitsune."

Nixie turns to her briefly, and then says, "Scott, I'm gonna hand Malia the phone for a moment." Handing it over, she says, "Repeat that to him and then hand it back, if you please." So Malia informs him about that, and then hands it back. Scott, from over the phone, says, "Meet me at my house first thing in the morning. I'll get Kira to come too. We'll figure it out then." "Sounds good. See you then Scott." "Okay. Get some sleep Nixie. I have a feeling I'm gonna need you well rested pretty soon." "Roger that."

Sighing after she hangs up, Nixie says, "I'm probably gonna be gone in the morning when you wake up. You can stay as long as you want. And you can come and go as often as you please. I'll make you a spare key, so you don't have to break the lock anymore." Turning on her side to fall asleep, Nixie adds, "You gotta a phone?" Malia nods, and hands it over. Nixie puts her number in it, and then says, "Rule one, and this is the most important. You call me. For anything. At any time. Understand?"

Malia nods, and then as Nixie makes to go asleep, she asks, "Can I try one last thing before we sleep?" "Sure. What would you like?"

Nixie is a little surprised when Malia just comes closer and wraps her arms around Nixie. Nestling her hand against Nixie's collar, beginning to curl around her, she sighs and says, "Stiles said that I should try this. That your hugs make everybody feel better, no matter what."

And she relaxes further when Nixie wraps her arms around Malia in turn. Running a hand over Malia's hair gently, Nixie says, "Don't worry Malia. As soon as we figure out how we're getting Stiles back, we'll get right on helping you control your shift. I promise." Malia nods, and not long after, falls asleep with her head still on Nixie's chest.

It takes Nixie a bit longer than that, for the simple fact that she knows Stiles is out there again, as the Nogitsune. Which, in a nutshell, means things are about to get very interesting. And not in a good way.

* * *

And here's chapter 8! Hope you like it!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 9: Episode 3x21

"This looks just like me."

When Nixie came over that morning, Scott had just gotten up. And when he asked about Malia, Nixie told him that she'd left the were-coyote in bed to sleep. She'd made a lot of bacon and toast for her to eat when she woke up, so Nixie knows she'll be fine.

Then, after Scott got showered and dressed, Kira arrived, and Nixie showed them the stuff that Malia had brought them from Eichen House. The picture, which Kira was holding, and the sword. And yeah, the woman in the picture… it really does look a lot like Kira.

Flipping it over to see the date, Kira adds, "This has to be my grandmother." Scott nods in agreement, and then says, "You remember I told you about Malia? That's who gave all this to Nixie. She's apparently the last one who saw Stiles at Eichen House. Now, this picture, and this…" He brings the sword around for Kira to see, and then finishes, "They both found it with a body buried in a wall."

Nixie nods and adds, "And Malia said that the same kanji that was put on all of us; the one that means 'self', was carved into the cement wall. Kind of like a grave marker." Back to Kira, Scott says, "It sounds like it all goes back to your family."

Kira nods in understanding, and then her phone buzzes. Looking down, eyes widening, Kira says, "Oh no." Scott tenses and asks, "What is it?" "My dad!" Nixie moves to her side to look at the message, and then says, "Alright. Is your house unlocked?" Kira turns to her and says, "Um… yeah. Why?" "Because I drive faster than you. I'll get the container she's asking for. You and Scott head straight to the school."

To Scott, Nixie says, "Hold the doors open for me. I'm not stopping until I'm outside Mr. Yukimara's classroom."

He nods, and then they all rush outside to load up, Kira and Scott on his bike, and Nixie on hers. She's about on her way, when Kira finally looks over at her and says, "You called my dad by his last name. I… I thought." Lowering the face mask on her helmet, Nixie says, "Yeah. Cause currently I don't trust him. Or your mother for that matter."

Revving her engine, she says gently, "Don't worry Kira. I still like you, and you're still awesome. It's just your parents I don't like for now." And with that, she takes off down the road at breakneck speed.

* * *

When Kira rushes into the room, far too soon for Noshiko's liking, her mother says, "You couldn't have gotten home and back here this fast." "I didn't go home." "Kira! I told you…" "Nixie went."

And from down the hall, they hear Scott shout, "She's coming!" Three seconds later, her motorcycle runs through the school and down the hall, screeching to a halt outside of Ken's class. Hopping off, not bothering to remove her helmet, she tosses the container to Kira, who then passes it to her mom and asks, "Are you gonna tell me what this is?" "Reishi."

Nixie tilts her head in confusion, but then looks over when Kira asks in shock, "You're not seriously giving dad magic mushrooms?" Noshiko just gives her a look, and then shoves a piece into Ken's mouth. The man then begins choking and coughing in earnest, until finally a glob of black launches from his mouth and into the handkerchief he was holding.

Noshiko helps him to his feet while asking, "Are you alright?" Ken nods wearily, and then grins up at Nixie and says, "I knew you were a speed demon, according to Kira. I didn't realize I mattered so much to you."

With that, Nixie finally pulls of her helmet. And Ken's smile immediately slips when he sees the glare in Nixie's eyes. Then she says softly, but with no less venom in her voice, "Make no mistake, Mr. Yukimara. I don't like you right now. And I most certainly don't like your wife."

She glares at Noshiko too, but then glances at Kira and says, "But I care about Kira. And you two matter to her. So I saved your sorry ass… for now."

Scott puts an arm around her, both to try and comfort her… and to try and reel her in a bit. Then he asks, "Stiles did this?"

Ken is still getting over the fact that Nixie had called him by his last name. He'd known her only a short while… but he could still feel the significance of that. Noshiko glances between the two of them, but then turns to Scott and says, "He wanted the last kaiken." When both Scott and Kira give her a confused look, Nixie puts in, "Tail. Her last fox tail." Then to Noshiko, she says, "Speak English and get on with it. We don't have all day."

In response, Noshiko pulls the last dagger from inside her own jacket and says, "I've kept this near me ever since your 'friend' disappeared."

Ken wasn't surprised when Scott put a tighter grip on Nixie. The way Noshiko said the word 'friend'; the tone she used on that word… it left little to the imagination about what she thought of Stiles now. And Nixie… from what Kira had told Ken about her, still claimed Stiles as her boy. Trapped behind an evil fox spirit? Yes, that he was. But he was still hers.

But what surprised him was that Kira had reached out to put a hand in front of Nixie as well. As though Kira too, was very aware of how far Nixie's patience had been stretched the past few weeks. As though Kira was such a good friend to her already, that Kira was now also able to predict when Nixie was about to strike for the sake of those she loved.

It also meant that Kira was sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that if Nixie thought Noshiko was going to continue to be a threat to Stiles… Nixie would take her out. Whether by kidnapping her, knocking her out, or something else… Nixie was far more likely to simply remove Noshiko from the equation altogether, rather than see how things played out by letting her continue to fight the Nogitsune.

Kira glances back at Nixie, a pleading look in her eyes. She knows that Nixie doesn't trust either of her parents right now. But they need answers. And her mom and dad may be the only people who can provide them.

When Nixie settles herself down, Scott nods to Kira, who then turns back to her parents. "Mom. You need to talk to us. And I mean about everything."

Noshiko looks around at all of them, and then finally nods in agreement. Scott releases Nixie carefully, giving her a look that says she's not to attack anyone right now. Nixie just rolls her eyes in response, and then Scott takes out the photo that Malia had given them and hands it over. Noshiko takes it in shock and asks, "Where did you get this?"

Nixie gives her a look and says, "Please don't patronize us with idiotic question, Mrs. Yukimara. Just explain the damn significance behind the picture." Kira nods in agreement and asks, "Is it grandma?" But Noshiko shakes her head and says, "No. It's me."

Scott gives her a look and says, "If that's you, then you'd have to be, like, ninety years old." Noshiko gives a slight smirk and says, "Closer to nine-hundred." Kira's eyes have bugged out of her head practically, and she's about to shake her head in denial of that. But Nixie simply rolls with it. And still supremely annoyed and pissed off with both adults in the room, she says, "Well, that explains why she's such an ornery person to have to deal with. Old people often are quite afraid of progress."

The elder kitsune's smile slips as Nixie continues to glare at her. Then Nixie glances at Scott and says, "I'll be by the window. Trying to not interrupt. I make no promises though." He nods to her, and after she's walked away, Kira finally just shrugs and says, "Okay, sure. Why not?" Then she looks to her dad and asks, "How old are you?" "Forty-three. But I've been told I look mid-thirties."

And Nixie can't help herself, so she scoffs and asks, "Who the hell told you that lie?"

Scott sighs and when both of the adults turn to him, he simply gestures to her and says, "She's… not happy. Because Stiles isn't Stiles. And she's determined to get him back. Same as the rest of us." Gesturing to them now, he says, "And you two don't seem to share that ideal. But we'll get to that. Kira…"

Kira hands the samurai sword over to her mother, who pulls the hilt out of the sheath, and then drops the rest of the broken pieces onto the table. Nixie raises an eyebrow from her seat on one of the window sills and says, "Nice sword."

Noshiko and Ken both think to be offended for a moment, but then Scott assures them, "That's… actually just her being sarcastic. You get used to it. Anyways… what…" Noshiko gestures to the broken pieces and says, "The blade was shattered the last time it was used." Kira asks, "When was that?" "Nineteen-forty-three. Against a Nogitsune."

Scott leans back in realization, and then asks, "All of this… it's happened before, hasn't it?" Noshiko turns to him, possibly slightly impressed at his deduction, and answers, "Yes." Then Ken adds, "Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it." Kira asks, "Where did it come from?"

Noshiko turns back to her and says, "It was an internment camp during World War II. In Oak Creek. Not too far from here." Kira and Scott look at each other, and then Scott turns to Ken and says, "Hold on. You told Alison and Isaac that there was no internment camp at Oak Creek." Ken immediately counters, "Alison's family has a certain history of violence. I didn't know if she could be trusted."

And then Nixie, from the other side of the room, says, "And yet, rather than just keeping it from her and telling someone else in our group, you decided to just not tell anyone about that important little detail." Glaring at both adults again, Nixie says, "And you both actually wonder why I don't really like, or trust, either of you at this point." Turning back to the window, she mutters angrily, "Idiots."

Scott notes the truly sorry look on Ken's face, so he doesn't argue with Nixie's assessment, or try to explain anything else to them. He simply waits. And it pays off too. Ken finally says, "There was a camp, yes. But all the records were erased." Noshiko adds, "They covered it up."

Ken then reaches into his desk and says, "When I was a grad student, my passion project… which was actually, more like an obsession… was trying to dig up the truth on Oak Creek. That's how I met your mother, Kira."

He shows them his notebook and the pictures he'd found relating to the sight. Kira picks one up and is about to ask a question. But Ken raises up a hand to stop her, and then looks to Scott. Scott meets his gaze curiously, but then watches him nod in Nixie's direction, silently asking if Scott can bring Nixie back over here to be part of the conversation.

Scott glances at Nixie, who is astutely staring out the window. She's curled her knees up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She wasn't just staying away from the conversation because she was pissed at Noshiko and Ken. She was also worried… exceptionally worried, about Stiles and what he might be doing, even as they were standing here talking about what happened in the past.

It wasn't a good combination. And if it were anybody else missing, Scott might've still tried to call her over. But it was Stiles. And Scott knows that, even though Nixie has let several other people into her heart, several other people that are no less important to her… he knows that he and Stiles will always still have an… almost sacredly special place, compared to the rest. They'd been together the longest, through anything and everything together. The three musketeers, he remembers her saying one time. 'All for one and one for all'.

With Stiles missing, and Nixie's distrust in the two people they were trying to talk to right now… it wouldn't end well if she came back to the conversation right now. Which is why she'd removed herself from the center of it and was off to the side.

Back to Ken, Scott shakes his head and says, "She doesn't trust you. Either of you. And that's your own fault. You want to start making up for that? You want her to see you as a person she could maybe trust again? Then you start talking. She's listening. From a distance. Which, at this point, is probably what's safest for both of you."

Ken nods after a moment, and then Kira asks, "So, where did the Nogitsune come from?" Noshiko looks at her and says, "Isn't it obvious yet?" Then they all snap their attention to Nixie when, faster than they could blink, she came over and slapped Noshiko upside the head.

The elder woman turned to her in shock, and maybe a bit of anger… but she was drawn up short by Nixie's piercing eyes. Eyes that were glaring at her harder than she'd thought possible. Nixie grits her teeth, and then says, "Obviously, it's not obvious to us yet. Or we wouldn't have asked the damn question. So why don't you stop wasting our time, and answer it, before I decide to do something worse than hit you in the back of the head."

She marches back to the window, and then Scott, to try and appease them, says, "Uh… she does that to everyone. And it's been said often that the parents aren't above reproach." Noshiko turns back to him, and then says straightforward, "The Nogitsune… came from me."

As Noshiko begins telling the story, she also begins trying to piece together the broken pieces of the sword. Looking up at her daughter, she says, "Kira, I need your help on this. There isn't much time. And this is something that should be done in the daylight." But Kira shakes her head and says, "Not until you tell us everything."

Noshiko frowns and says, "We do not have…" Nixie hops up from her window again, sighing at having to move once more. Coming to the desk, she says, "Perhaps you should've thought about that before you decided to piss all of us off."

Then she glances down at the shattered piece of the sword. Her eyes flit across the pieces for a while, and then she finally nods and says, "I can do this."

To Kira, Nixie says, "You and Scott, get the story. I can work on this." Then she turns to Noshiko and says, "But you keep talking. You stop talking, and I stop fixing." Then she looks at Ken, narrows her eyes, and says, "And anyone else so much as touches it while I'm working, is going to lose the use of their hands."

Glancing at Scott, she raises an eyebrow and asks, "Work for you?" "Well, you didn't threaten to kill anyone yet. I'll take what I can get." "Good."

Ken looks between all of them for a moment, and then says to his wife, "Tell them, Noshiko. Tell them what they need to know." Noshiko looks down to Nixie, who has yet to budge. But then she turns to Scott and Kira and says, "Wolves and foxes tend to not get along. And not just in fables and stories."

The hand that grabs her elbow bites into her skin, and Noshiko turns back to Nixie and says, "You should be careful." Glaring at the elder woman, Nixie says, "So should you. You sound very closely like you're trying to threaten my boy. And since you're already trying to kill the other one, you are on exceedingly thin ice. I'd hate for all of it to suddenly crack out from underneath your feet."

Noshiko stares at her, and then says, "It is a truth. Wolves and foxes…" But Ken cuts her off and says, "But allies, however unlikely, should always be welcomed. Especially in times of war." Noshiko looks at him in surprise at that statement.

Then Nixie's phone goes off, and she walks back to the window and asks, "Yeah?" "Hey Nix." "Hey Chris. What's up?" "Derek and I are being released. Wouldn't mind having you at the station to help with that? I have a feeling some of my belongings… they aren't going to want to give back." "Sure. Be there in ten."

Hanging up, she turns to Scott and says, "I'm going to get Chris and Derek. Be back as soon as I can." As she prepares to leave, Kira asks, "Um… Nixie? What about the sword?" "It'll take me about five minutes when I get back. If that's not fast enough, tell your mom to try and fix the damn thing herself."

And without another word, she hops on her bike and hightails it back out of the school… beyond happy to finally have a reason to not be near Kira's parents. She's sure she'll forgive them, eventually. Granted that Noshiko didn't do anything else stupid, like actually kill Stiles before they could save him.

Yeah… Nixie would not be forgiving anyone for that. Ever.

* * *

Jordan honestly can't believe they're letting this guy go. The one that Nixie called Derek… that he could believe. But this other guy named Chris Argent?

The man's personal effects included an electrified, stunning baton that was more powerful than the stun guns cops were allowed to carry. Opening it up to look at it further, he glances up at Chris, and then says, "Sorry, but I can't let you walk out with this. It's way above the legal voltage limit."

Chris had suspected this, and glanced at his watch to check the time. Nixie had said ten minutes, and it had been nine. She'd be here any second. He just had to buy enough time for her to walk through the door. Shrugging nonchalantly at the officer, he says, "I only use it for hunting."

Jordan raises an eyebrow and says, "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure you could use it to jump-start a seven-forty-seven." Chris narrows his eyes at the man and says, "This property belongs to me and the charges were dropped." Glancing at Derek, he adds, "Although I'm not exactly sure who's responsible for that."

Noah, off to the side, glances at the main door as Nixie comes marching in. Walking up to Derek's side, she hugs him tight and sighs before saying, "Glad to have you back on this side of the bars." Derek chuckles and hugs her back. Then Nixie moves onto Chris, hugging him tightly as well, before then looking to Jordan and all the personal items. Back to Chris, she asks, "We ready to go?"

Chris gestures to Jordan, still holding the baton, and says, "Almost. If he'll give me back my last bit of property." Nixie looks to Jordan expectantly, but he simply raises an eyebrow and says, "I already told him no. It's way…" He cuts off though at the glare she suddenly gives him. He'd already been here long enough to know, Nixie usually had more patience than this. But not today. Definitely not today.

Glaring at him still, Nixie says, "It's his, isn't it? Just give the damn thing back to him." "Nixie… I can't do that. Legally it's…" "Oh, bullshit. Legally I shouldn't have been able to bring them breakfast and coffee, or speak to both of them on the phone at the same time. Still managed to do that. Just give him his damn baton." "No."

It wasn't Nixie who really looked stunned by his response. It was the two men beside her. Chris and Derek were both staring at him in surprise. It wasn't often, apparently, that someone really tried to argue with those piercing eyes.

Beautiful eyes, he had to admit. But they were a bit terrifying at this current moment. If he didn't know any better, he'd be worried for his life, just judging from her gaze.

Noah grins a little at him, and then steps up and says, "Nix." She turns to him, softening her stance slightly and she says gently, "Hey Noah." He puts an arm around her shoulders and says, "Go easy on him. He's just being a good deputy." "He's pissing me off." Noah chuckles, and then turns to Jordan and says, "I'll take care of this Parrish."

He looks between Nixie and Noah for a moment, but then sighs and hands it over to him. He leans closer though and says, "Sheriff, I'm not kidding. This thing's a few watts from being a lightsaber." Noah nods and says, "I'll take care of it." Jordan watches as he walks away, and then turns back to Nixie. She wasn't glaring anymore, but she still didn't look at all pleased with him.

Finally, he just shrugs and says, "I'm not sorry." "I know. And it's as infuriating as it is admirable." Raising an eyebrow, Jordan then nods towards them and asks, "You going with them?" "Yep." "You sure that's safe?" "Yep." Sighing, Jordan says, "They were suspects in a murder investigation." "Falsely accused. I told you that."

He stares at her for a moment, and then huffs and says, "And you call me infuriating." "And what is that supposed to mean?" "It means you shouldn't be walking around with a guy who looks like he could be a serial-killing stalker, and another man who carries around a baton that could kill a man if he holds it to him long enough."

Nixie narrows her eyes and says, "That man is better than you give him credit for. He has taught me a great deal about how to take care of myself, and the people around me that I care about. And if that is somehow unacceptable to you, then maybe you shouldn't be working here as a sheriff's deputy, where you're supposed to serve and protect the people."

Then she adds, "And Derek looking like a serial killer… that's all part of his charm. Looks can be deceiving. You never judge a book by it's cover. And you never judge a person solely by their outward appearance." Looking Jordan up and down, Nixie says, "Somehow, I thought you would already be smart enough to know that."

Jordan gives her a look, and then says, "I know that them being out already makes no sense. I know that the baton he's carrying should be illegal. And you, most certainly, shouldn't be…" Her fist landing on the counter in front of him draws him up short, and those eyes are piercing right through him again.

She still liked him. For all intents and purposes, she still really liked this man. But right now, he was being a pain in the ass. In a soft voice that somehow still contained a very dangerous edge to it, Nixie says, "Be very careful, Parrish. I am not a person you want angry at you for any length of time. And I am having a very bad day today, so it won't take much."

As she starts walking away, Jordan watches after her, and then says, "You need to watch Argent, Nixie." She pauses at Noah's door, and then sighs and says, "I told you, he's…" "Harmless where you're concerned. I got that." She turns to look at him, and Jordan says, "He's… got a look about him. You… you look like a woman on a mission. A woman with everything to lose if she fails."

Nixie nods in understanding, and then tenses up a little when Jordan explains, "He doesn't. Argent… he looks like a man willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to make a storm end. I've seen men like that before, when I was in the army. It usually doesn't end well."

She stares at him for all of another moment, and then turns back to the door. Jordan is about to walk away, when he hears her say softly, "Thank you, Parrish." He turns back to catch a brief glimpse of her smile, and then she was gone into the office.

He relaxes a little when she gives him a small smile. Even though he knew he was right to try and keep Chris from taking the baton… he really did hate the fact that he'd pissed Nixie off in the process. Why he felt that so strongly, he wasn't exactly sure.

When Nixie walks in, Noah is showing Derek and Chris the scans of Stiles' brain and his wife's brain. And both scans that show evidence of frontotemporal dementia are the same. Exactly the same. Not just similar or close look-a-likes. But exact duplicates of each other. Sighing, Nixie says, "So it's another trick. Right?"

Noah nods, and then Derek asks, "But why this trick?" Noah answers, "When I was in the army, an officer told me, 'If you want to defeat your enemy, you don't take away their courage. You take away their hope." Chris nods to that, and then says, "You don't look like a man who gives up hope easily."

Noah smiles slightly, eyes falling onto Nixie, as he says, "Wonder where I got that from." Nixie is still looking at the MRI scans. But when she looks up and finds all eyes on her, she blinks and asks, "What?" Derek chuckles and says, "You give the man hope." "Well, obviously. In case it wasn't already obvious, I'm a freaking ray of sunshiny hope over here."

Noah nods to that too, and then says, "Which is why, I think Stiles had an easier time fighting the Nogitsune whenever you were around. You gave him hope, while the Nogitsune was trying to take it away from him. And if this thing inside of him… if it's using his mother's disease as some sort of psychological trick, then this isn't just a fight for his body."

Nixie nods and adds, "It's a fight for his mind."

Chris looks between both of them, and then says, "You two know he's left people severely injured." And Derek adds, "And others severely dead." Nixie snaps her head up to look at both of them and says, "No. Not Stiles. Stiles didn't do that. It's what's inside of him that's doing all of that. And Stiles… I know he sarcastically talks about avoiding problems, or occasionally killing off people to solve the problem… but he'd never give up on any of us. Not really."

To Noah, she says, "And we can't give up on him. I won't. I will get him back." Noah smiles gently at her, and then says, "That's why I need all three of you." To the men, he says, "I need people who are experienced in this kind of thing. I need you to help me stop him." And Chris says, "And by stop… you mean trap him."

Noah nods, and then looks down at Nixie. Smiling gently, he says, "And I need you to help me show him that he still has hope. If he's still in there, if he's still fighting… then maybe seeing you will at least let us see that in him."

Nixie nods immediately, and then says, "Alright. So let's work on forming a plan people. Operation 'Prove Stiles is still in there', is officially under way. Let's move it!"

* * *

Kira stops her mom from telling them her romantic story from nineteen-forty-three and says, "We want you to tell us how to save Stiles." "I am trying to tell you!"

But Scott shakes his head and says, "You're trying to stall." Noshiko, once again, looks at him a bit impressed. But Scott doesn't care. Gesturing to the dropping sun outside the windows, he says, "When the sun goes down, the Oni are gonna come after him again, aren't they?"

Ken sighs and says, "Your friend's gone, Scott." But Scott shakes his head, "I don't think you know that for sure. And I certainly don't believe it's true." Noshiko asks, "And why not? Because your other little friend is still willing to fight for him?" "Yes. Because of Nixie." Ken shakes his head now and says, "Nixie's loyalty is admirable, but he's…"

Scott cuts him off and says, "It's not just about loyalty. Nixie is loyal to a fault, that's true, and I don't deny it. But it's not just that." When silence meets him, and curious gazes ask for more, he sighs and tries to explain. "It's… Nixie has always had a way… a way of knowing who was worth fighting for. She knows who she can trust most of the time. Stiles calls it her sixth sense. And whenever we've been with Stiles, Nixie has been able to tell the difference. The difference between him and the fox. She wasn't sure what it was at first, but she is now."

To Noshiko, he says, "The Nogitsune actually had to threaten her into order to break whatever part of Stiles was letting Nixie see that in him. But after Deaton poisoned it… I think that ability came right back. Nixie can see when it's the Nogitsune, and when it's Stiles."

And now to all of them, Scott says, "And if there's still a difference to see at all… that means that Stiles is still in there. Nixie isn't giving up on him. And neither am I."

Kira takes his hand in hers, a silent way of telling him that she isn't giving up either. Then Scott looks to Noshiko again and says, "Finish the story. Quit wasting our time."

* * *

In the Argent's apartment, Alison leads them into the study. Nixie had called ahead to get Alison to break out everything they could possibly use to try and trap Stiles.

With everything laid out on the desk, Alison says, "This is everything non-lethal I could find." Nixie nods approvingly and says, "Good. How much do you think we'll need?" Chris gestures and says, "Take all of it."

Noah looks around at everything, and then asks, "What's the plan here?" Chris answers, "Our best shot right now is for Derek to try to pick up Stiles' scent at Eichen House. Especially if he went through something stressful there." Noah nods, but asks, "Should all five of us be going to the same place?"

Chris shrugs and asks, "Where else has Stiles been showing up?" Nixie throws out, "School." Then Alison adds, "Hospital."

Derek jumps in though and says, "Hold on. We did this already. He disappeared, we started looking for him. And then we walked right into a trap at the hospital." They ponder that a moment, and then Chris concedes, "He's getting us to repeat the same moves."

Alison nods, but then asks in disbelief, "So, then what do we do? Wait for him to come to us?" Nixie sighs, running a hand through her hair as she says, "We can't. Not if the Oni are still on the hunt. If the sun goes down and they find him first… I'm not sure he can do that on his own." Noah nods, but says, "But you said Scott was working on that. With Kira, right?"

Nixie nods, but then admits, "But I don't think Noshiko will be swayed. There's a look in her eyes… a determination there. And Scott says she's trying to stall him rather than completely help at this point. So she's not helping us with finding this Nogitsune." Chris nods, and then adds, "Maybe that's part of our problem. We're all trying to outfox the fox."

They all pause for a moment to think about everything, and then Noah sighs and says, "Listen. I'll understand if anyone wants to back out." And before Nixie can protest in offense, he adds, "And no, I'm not talking to you Nixie. I know you wouldn't be backing out for anything. Apocalypse could be coming, and you'd still be going after Stiles." "Damn straight."

Then Derek says, "Yeah, well… I'm not gonna be the first wolf to run from a fox." He grabs one of the stun guns and shoves it in a bag while Chris adds, "And apparently I'm carrying a lightsaber." Nixie laughs a little, and when Chris raises an eyebrow, she shrugs and says, "Oh… it's just that Stiles would appreciate the Star Wars reference. Also, for one brief moment, everyone pause with me to bask in the one good bit of news we've discovered today."

Alison looks at her and asks, "What's that?" "Stiles doesn't actually have frontotemporal dementia. That's just the Nogitsune being a cruel bastard. So when we kick his ass… and we will kick his ass. Then my boy will be back to us, and he will be perfect as always."

Alison grins at her, and then says, "Alright. Dad, you and Derek hit Eichen House. And Sheriff; you, me, and Nixie will head to the hospital. After that, we'll all meet at the school."

Everyone nods in agreement and Alison and Noah head out the doors immediately. Nixie follows after them, but pauses when she hears Derek ask Chris, "Making sure you have a few lethal options just in case?" Chris' only response is, "I like to prepare for the worst."

Nixie quickly walks away to join Noah and Alison in the elevator. And she remains quiet until they're at the hospital. There's no need to let Noah know that Chris might try to shoot Stiles.

Not when Nixie knows Alison is on her side and will help her. As soon as Noah takes off down one hall, leaving them to search another, Nixie says, "We need to do something about your dad." "What? Why?"

Turning to Alison, Nixie says, "Because if he doesn't think Stiles is still in there, and he jumps the gun and tries to kill my boy, I will break his neck." Alison, in spite of it being her dad, nods in understanding and asks, "What did he grab?" "A gun, I'm assuming. I heard him knock a clip into place." "I'll take care of it. I promise." "Thanks Alison."

When they're in the elevator later, heading down with Noah to leave and head to the school, Noah sighs and says, "You know… I don't know how you guys do it. I mean… you're all so strong. Fearless. And hell… you even manage to keep your grades up." Alison offers a slight laugh and says, "I'm failing Econ. Or… I might be about to."

At Noah's curious gaze, Alison glances at Nixie. Nixie shrugs, but then says, "Extra credit paper is looking good. We'll have you at a C in the class before the semester is out. No worries." Noah grins, and then asks, "This is Coach's class, right?"

Both girls nod, and then Noah says, "Well, if the paper doesn't pan out, I'll have a talk with him." Nixie smiles and nods approvingly, but as Alison takes in a deep and shaky breath, Nixie stands up from the back wall she was leaning against. Noah reaches forward to hit the switch to stop the elevator, and then asks, "Hey. Are you okay?"

Alison just shakes her head and says softly, "I'm not… fearless. I'm… I'm terrified. I'm always terrified. I mean… I act like I know what I'm doing, but I don't. I… I don't know if Isaac is dying right now. I don't know if I made a mistake with Scott. I don't know what my dad is thinking. I don't know if we should trust Derek. I don't… I don't know anything!"

Noah wraps her up in a fatherly hug, and then squeezes her tighter when Alison says, "I mean… Nixie's the fearless one. Jumping in front of us, blocking us from danger, taking the hits for us. I… I could never… I don't think I could…

Noah glances over at Nixie in concern, but Nixie waves him away. Moving up to Alison, she pulls her from Noah's arms and wraps her up in her own hug. They stay that way for a moment, and then Alison leans back, considerably calmer than she was before. Nixie smiles gently at her, and then says, "Allow me to answer some of that for you. Yeah?"

Alison nods, so Nixie continues. "Derek. We can trust him. Your dad… is a bit of an extremist at times… but he has all the best intentions at heart. And he loves you. More than anything, he loves you. And you didn't make a mistake with Scott. Not when you first met and fell in love with him. And not when you decided that you two needed to break up and move on from each other. You are important to each other. You always have been, and always will be. And so long as they remains true, you have not made a mistake."

Alison smiles a little at that, and Nixie says, "Isaac is not dying. He's not allowed. Or I'll kill him." Alison lets out a burst of laughter at that, though tears are still in her eyes. Nixie smiles gently, and then says, "And we all, every single one of us, act like we know what we're doing, even if we don't half the time. And sometimes, we don't even have the slightest clue what we're doing, or if it's going to work. But we try. We always try. And that is that part of it that matters most. That we try. And so long as we always do that, we're doing a lot better than some of the rest of the world, who would've given up a hell of a lot sooner than this."

Noah nods in agreement with that too, and then watches as Nixie moves closer to Alison. Gripping her shoulder firmly, Nixie says, "And I'm not fearless." Frowning, Alison says, "Nixie, I've seen…" "I'm not afraid of the things most people are afraid of. I give you that much. Bullets and knives… those don't scare me. But I am not fearless. None of us are. And that's not a bad thing. It's not about being fearless. Fearless is what people feel when they have nothing else to lose; and that means they don't have anything left that matters to them enough for them to really fight for."

Cupping Alison's face in her hands, Nixie says, "Bullets and knives don't scare me. But you guys. Losing you guys. Just the idea of it… that is what terrifies me. You have no idea, the terror that I feel, anytime I don't know where you guys are, or anytime I can't be with you to make sure nothing happens. The idea that you could be ripped away from me by some of the things we face… it's crippling to me."

Shaking her head, Nixie says, "It's not about being fearless. It's about courage. Which, by definition, is the overcoming of fear. You can't be both, contrary to what people might think. You have to pick one. And I'll take courage over fearless, any day."

Smiling gently at Alison, she says, "We're not fearless. But we are exceptionally courageous. And you, I'm proud to say, are one of the most courageous people I know. Probably why we're such good friends."

Alison laughs a little at that, and then shakes her head with a smile as she says, "You… somehow you always know what to say." Nixie nods and says, "So I'm told. It's a gift, apparently." Alison laughs again, and then wipes at her teary eyes before nodding and saying, "I'm good. Promise." Nixie nods, and then looks over at Noah.

For his part, he's just been staring at her for a while. Impressed wasn't a good enough word for what he felt towards her right now. Over-protective was something he'd always been aware of about her character. It was a given, when it came with Nixie. But the way she explained it, how her one fear was losing the select people she'd let into her heart… it let him look on her with new eyes.

Not fearless. Not even close. But courageous. Damn courageous.

And he didn't even know about her scars, which is what Nixie knows Alison was referring to. But as stated before, the weapons they'd faced; bullets and knives, teeth and claws… none of that was scary to her. No… just the idea of losing her people; of not being able to protect them. That was what scared her.

And she knows she can't always protect them. She'd run herself in circles trying to be there for everyone all the time if it were possible… but it just wasn't. Sometimes you had to pick and choose. And you also just had to hope that you'd chosen correctly.

Nixie considers herself fortunate thus far, that she's managed to choose correctly for as long as she has. But she does dread the day when, at some point, she manages to choose wrong.

But for now, she shakes that thought from her head and says, "Alright Noah. Let's get out of here." He nods and prepares to hit the switch, but then his phone goes off, so he stops to look at it.

Upon seeing the warning label on his screen, Alison asks, "What's that?" Noah frowns deeply and says, "Someone's breaking into my house. After Stiles started sleep walking, I had some security precautions put in. Motions sensors and cameras." Staring at the little screen that pops up, Alison asks, "Is that his room?"

Nixie nods to herself, but then freezes upon seeing the figure sitting on the edge of the bed. Gritting her teeth, Nixie says, "Worse. It's actually him." And as he waves at the camera a little, eyes dark, skin paler than usual, and somehow a darkness just surrounding his entire frame, Nixie curses under her breath before saying louder, "Son of a bitch."

* * *

When they get to the bedroom, Chris asks, "What is all this? What are these sticky notes for?" Nixie looks over at the chessboard while Noah explains, "This is what Stiles used to try and explain to me about all of you." Alison adds in, "Okay, so maybe it's a message from Stiles? Nixie?"

She glances back at Alison and asks, "Yeah?" "What do you think?" "About what exactly?" For a second, Chris thinks she's just being difficult about giving an answer, but then Alison says specifically, "Right now, if the real Stiles could've given us a message?"

Nixie ponders that, and then says, "No." Noah looks at her and asks, "Why not? He was here. He was…" "Stiles wasn't here. Nogitsune was. It wasn't Stiles." Pointing to the board, she adds, "And he didn't leave us that message. Nogitsune did. If there even is a message to be seen."

Then Derek asks, "Anyone know if there's any reason my name's on the king?" Noah comments, "Well, you're heavily guarded. Though… I guess the alarming detail is that… you're one move from being in checkmate." Chris sighs and says, "Nixie's right. It's not a message from Stiles. And it is a message from the Nogitsune. It's a threat."

Nixie nods, but then, on a side note, she adds, "Derek was always on the king piece though. Just FYI." When Derek raises an eyebrow at her, she says, "I helped put this together. You were the alpha at the time, so you went on the king piece. And I wouldn't worry too much about the checkmate thing."

His eyebrow just raises again and he asks, "And why is that?" Nixie looks over the board critically, and then says, "Because I was never put on this board, so the game doesn't take me into account. And I will get Stiles back, make no mistake. But I'm not afraid to kick a Nogitsune's ass if it tries to hurt you."

Nodding towards the board, Nixie asks, "Alison? You thinking what I'm thinking?" She nods and answers, "The loft. He's at the loft. That's what the message is trying to tell us." "Bingo." Chris adds, "And he wants us to come there. The Nogitsune." Nixie doesn't deny that, and then looks to Derek when he says, "Night is falling." And to that, Chris says, "This couldn't sound any more like a trap."

But Noah shakes his head and says, "I don't think it is." Chris sighs, "No offense, sheriff, but I think your opinion might be slightly biased." "And I understand the opinion you have, but hear me out. What we're dealing with here is basically someone who lacks motive. No rhyme, and no reason. Right?"

Chris nods and asks, "What's your point?" "Our enemy isn't a killer. He's a trickster. The killing… it's just a by-product."

While the other men in the room argue, Alison looks over at Nixie. She's staring at the board, planning her own next move around what she believes everyone else will do. So determined to save everyone. So determined to get Stiles back.

And she was the only one that gave Stiles enough hope, when seen, to help bring him back to the surface; past the Nogitsune that had control of his body.

Standing and rising to her feet, Alison says, "I have an idea." Nixie turns to her to hear it, and then blinks in surprise when Alison is already staring at her. "What?" Alison gives her a gentle smile, and then says, "It requires courage from everyone. From us, to go into Derek's loft and face this Nogitsune." Putting a hand on Nixie's shoulder, she adds, "And from you… to wait outside until I tell you to come in."

Nixie frowns and says, "I suppose I don't actually have to say it, but I hate that plan." "I figured. But… at the very least, I think this might show us for certain, if Stiles is still in there or not. Do you trust me?" And she smiles again when Nixie immediately answers, "With everything." "Then here's what we're going to do."

And while in understanding, Nixie is still none too happy about this plan while she stands outside the doors and hears Stiles… or the Nogitsune… say to Noah, "Hi, Dad."

This was not going to end well. Not any way you turned it.

* * *

Chapter 9! Yay! Just three more to go guys! Ah! I am of the hopes that Chapter 10 will be ready to post by later today.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 10: Episode 3x22

"You wanna handcuff me?"

Nixie glances at Alison from their side of the door to Derek's loft. Chris and Derek were on the left. She and Alison were on the right.

And Nixie was still not happy with this plan. Staying back while they all eventually moved forward, until Alison told her to come in… it didn't sit right with her.

But Alison wanted to prove that Stiles was still in there. And since Nixie couldn't think of any other way to try and do it… she couldn't argue. The plan was good… Nixie just wasn't entirely fond of the part she had to play in it.

Alison gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze in response to the look, and they go back to listening as Noah answers Stiles' question, "If my son is still here, if there's still a part of him standing here in front of me, then he'll put these on willingly, and he'll come with me. Because he knows, that I'm here to protect him. From himself and from others."

Nixie closes her eyes and focuses her hearing, listening for the sound of the clanking cuffs. But even as she hears Noah cuff Stiles… she knows it's not him. His voice, as he'd asked about the handcuffs, didn't sound right. And as Alison looks over at Nixie to see what she thinks, Nixie shakes her head and mouths the word, "No."

Then they hear Noah say, "You're not my son." Alison squeezes Nixie's shoulder again, and then stands up and walks in with Chris and Derek.

From then on, Nixie keeps her eyes closed and listens. Alison uses the stun gun, but Nixie also hears it clatter to the ground a few seconds later. Derek growls and, from the sound of it, tries to rush Stiles. But his cry of pain after proves that the Nogitsune is stronger than even most werewolves.

Then Nixie hears the hammer of a pistol cock, and she grits her teeth in aggravation. She hadn't wanted to believe that Chris would actually threaten to use the pistol on Stiles… but here he was, apparently pointing it at her boy.

But Nixie wasn't worried. Pissed, for sure, but not worried. She'd done her part. She'd distracted Chris long enough before they got here, so that Alison had time to remove the firing pin from the pistol. He could pull the trigger all he wanted, but the gun wouldn't shoot.

Noah, on the other hand, doesn't know that as he says, "Argent, listen to me. Don't do this." Chris' reply is, "Why not? I've done it before. Werewolves, berserkers. I can easily add a Nogitsune to the list."

Then another pistol cocks, and now Nixie is worried. Removing the firing pin from Chris' gun had been an obvious decision to make. But… maybe they should've told Noah that. Because now Noah was pointing his gun at Chris. Glaring at the hunter, Noah says, "You're not going to shoot my son." But Chris says, "You said it yourself, sheriff. That's not your son." "Argent, put it down."

Amidst that argument, Nixie hears Stiles voice say, "Dad, he's going to shoot me."

Then she hears Derek whisper, "Nixie. If you can hear me, tell me if it's Stiles." And as much as she wishes it was, Nixie whispers back, "No."

Derek, from behind the Nogitsune, shakes his head at Alison, who had been silently asking him with her eyes if it was Stiles before them now.

As the argument between Argent and Noah continues, Alison figures it out. The strife that was being caused within the room… it was what a Nogitsune fed off of. It was what he wanted. Shouting to the others, she says, "Stop. Stop it! This is exactly what he wants."

And then the Nogitsune says, "Not exactly. I was kind of hoping Scott would be here."

As he smirks at the entire room, he turns back to Alison when she asks, "Not Nixie?" Glaring at her slightly, he then grins and says, "I'm sorry. Who?" "You know who she is? If you know the rest of us, then you most certainly know who she is." "Ah, you mean your little… what was it that rambled around in his brain… the little compact-ninja?"

Chuckling, he says, "She has no sway over me." Alison nods and says, "Maybe not you. But over Stiles…"

As the Nogitsune frowns, Alison says, "Now!"

Nixie rounds the corner immediately, having already risen to her feet. As she walks down the steps and up to the others, casting a brief glare at Chris, she faces the Nogitsune and says sternly, "Stiles, wake the hell up."

At first, the Nogitsune grins. And he's about to speak… to mock them for their weak efforts at reaching the boy trapped within.

And then his body contorts. The veins in his neck become more defined from the strain he's suddenly in. His head twitches and jerks, as though someone were pulling at him or like he were trying to work out a severely bad kink.

His eyes lightened a little, his white skin went back to the normal pale tone it usually carried. And as his eyes met hers, Nixie felt her heart stop for a second. Tears rimmed at the bottom of his eyes, he says desperately, "Nixie?"

And Chris lowers his gun slightly in amazement, watching with the rest of the room in awe, as Nixie gasps and says, "Stiles!" He offers her a brief smile of relief, but then it vanishes and he screams, "Run! Get out! Now! Ru…." His body jerks and contorts again in the same fashion, and as his eyes darken and body pales again, Nixie steps back.

Chuckling harshly, the Nogitsune looks up at her and says, "Oh… now I admit. That was rather clever. Very good." Fingers fluttering over his own temple, he says, "He's still screaming you know. 'Run. Run.' That's what he's saying." Laughing again, he adds, "But we know you won't. He matters too much to you. And, as I feel the need to point out… the sun is going down."

Nixie glances up with the others as the shadows begin falling into the loft. The sun was gone. The night had fallen.

Grinning, the Nogitsune says, "So, I'm glad you all have your guns out. Because you're not here to kill me." He steps up closer, eyes glaring down at Nixie even while he smiles. Then he nods towards the windows and says, "You're here to protect me."

And then the Oni appear. Sighing, Nixie slips her daggers into her hands. Twirling them, she glares at the Nogitsune as he steps behind her for cover. "I will get my boy back." He smirks and says, "I don't think so." "Yeah, well, that shows how stupid you are."

Alison and Derek move to the back to guard against the other two Oni, and then the fight is on. Bullets fly, daggers slice, swords swing fiercely through the air, and Derek can be heard tearing into one of the ones behind Nixie.

The one that had been about to run Noah through, finds his path suddenly blocked by Nixie. He pauses upon her arrival, as though remembering her. He tilts his head, but Nixie twirls her daggers and says, "Come on!"

And then she fights him for a while, until the Oni suddenly just quit. Nixie isn't sure why. At the moment they stopped, Stiles had still been there. But they stopped, regardless. They just, up and disappeared, right back into darkness. The one who had been fighting Nixie sheaths his sword, and then bows his head slightly, before vanishing into the shadows.

Nixie doesn't know what to make of it, but she also doesn't care. Glancing around at everyone, she then notices that Stiles is gone too. Gritting her teeth, she asks, "Where the hell did he go?"

No one knows, and Nixie can't focus on figuring it out right now. Derek was hit during the fight. A deep slash at the back of his left shoulder. The bleeding has stopped, but he's still going to need time to completely heal from that.

And then, Scott and Kira arrive. They jump back when Noah immediately lifts his gun, prepared for more Oni. But upon seeing them, he lowers it and sighs. Scott then asks, "What happened?"

Alison takes in a tired breath and says, "They disappeared. They literally just vanished."

And Noah adds, "And so did Stiles."

Noah then glances at Nixie, and then says, "On a… slightly positive note. Alison proved Stiles was still in there." Scott snaps his attention to her and asks, "How?" But Alison shakes her head and says, "It was Nixie. It… Noah's idea that the Nogitsune was trying to take away Stiles' hope. It… eventually got me thinking. Who was the one person who, no matter what, always gives us hope?"

She gestures to Nixie in answer, who has bent down closer to Derek to check on him. Glancing up at Scott, she says, "It was Alison's plan. I just did what I was told." Alison grins and says, "And it worked. He's still in there." Nixie nods, and then glances at Chris angrily, before turning her attention back to Derek.

Chris sighs and says, "Nixie, I…" "Argent." He pauses upon hearing the use of his last name, and as she turns to him, giving him her full attention, he leans back from the glare in her eyes. Through her teeth, she says, "If you hurt my boy… I. Will. Hurt. You. And I mean, in ways that would make your father's skin crawl."

Then she turns back to Derek. Sighing, she says, "We should clean it out. Do you have anything?" "In the bathroom." "Don't move."

When she comes back, she takes care of his wound while Alison fills Scott and Kira in on what happened. Then Scott informs them, "Noshiko says the katana that was broken is Kira's now. Only a thunder kitsune can put it back together, using a bolt of lightning. But… there's a piece missing."

Frowning, Alison asks, "A piece missing? How is that possible? Noshiko… she doesn't seem like the kind of woman that would leave something so sacred behind." Scott nods and says, "She isn't."

Silence envelops the room, and then Derek gently touches one of Nixie's hands on his shoulder. Looking up at him, she then ducks her head when he says, "Scott's looking at you. I think you know what he's asking."

She sighs, and then comes out from behind Derek. Shrugging, she asks, "The sword is Kira's?" Scott nods, and then Nixie looks to Kira and asks, "And you're on our side?" Kira nods, coming forward towards her. Putting her hands on Nixie's shoulders, she says, "I will always be on your side. Because from what I can see… it's definitely the side worth being on."

Nixie takes a moment to look her over, as though ensuring that she's positive Kira is telling the truth. Then she smiles gently, and from a small pocket on top of her left sleeve, she pulls out the missing piece of the sword. She'd swiped it while telling them that she could put it back together for them. Handing it back to Kira, Nixie says, "I don't trust your mother, or you dad right now. But you… you I trust." "Thank you. Can you…" "Break out the pieces and give me five minutes."

The set the broken katana on Derek's table in the loft, and then begin assembling it. And true to her word, Nixie finishes it in record time. Then Kira holds her hand out over it, and her power as a thunder kitsune shocks all of the sharp metal pieces into alignment, fusing them together.

It is a beautiful sword. Nixie will give it that. But she'll take her daggers over it any day. Being a more up close and personal fighter… it's just who she was.

After that, with no other way to track down Stiles at this moment, everyone agrees that it's best to head home. Nixie is on her bike, preparing to head out, when Scott comes up to her side. Removing her helmet, she asks, "What's up?" "I… need a favor." "Scott, you can ask me for anything. And if it is within the grips of my abilities to provide it, then I will. What's up?"

He motions for Kira to join him, and then says, "Kira… doesn't want to stay home yet. But she does, at the very least, need to make her parents think that she's not staying with me. So… do you think…" Nixie looks to Kira and asks, "How are we playing this? I get that we'll need to swing by your house to show that you're with me instead of Scott. But what are we saying is the reason you're going back to see them at all?"

Kira smiles in relief, and then says, "My mom has been worried this whole time that Scott's been wrong. About you having the missing piece of the katana. So, we'll stop by, just so I can show them that I put it back together. Then we'll leave." "Sounds good. Hop on." To Scott, she says, "I'll bring her to you as soon as we're done."

* * *

Noshiko opens the front door and sighs in relief when she sees Kira. Then Kira pulls out the sword to show it's all fixed.

As she turns to leave, Noshiko says, "Kira, you can't be out this late. You still have…" Nixie steps out from the shadow beside the front door and says, "She's coming with me. We're having an impromptu sleepover." Ken moves to join his wife and says, "Listen, we need…"

Nixie looks to Kira and says, "Head back to the bike."

When Kira listens without hesitation, both her parents stare after her for a moment in surprise. Then Noshiko turns to Nixie and says, "You do not understand the force you are dealing with. You can't…" Nixie shrugs and says, "I know that we could've had a better understanding of it a long time ago, if you'd just explained it to us from the beginning. I know that my boy, Stiles, is still in there. We proved it earlier tonight. Whether you actually believe that, is of little consequence to me. I know it. That's all that matters."

Nixie glances back towards Kira, and then says to them, "And I know that your daughter, because you've kept so many secrets from her, doesn't trust you anymore. She doesn't even feel like she knows you people." Glaring, Nixie adds to Ken, "And frankly, I'm not sure why I ever felt like I could trust you in the first place."

As she turns to leave, Noshiko asks, "Just my husband? Not me?" Turning back, Nixie says, "You know… I was always on the fence with you. And it was so confusing to me. Usually there's a clear divide. I either like you, or I don't. But you were Kira's mom, and I usually like the parents of the people that I call mine. And for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why I wasn't sure of that when I was around you."

Looking Noshiko up and down, Nixie says, "Now I do. You're an ancient supernatural creature, stuck in your own ways, and therefore doomed to repeat past mistakes. On top of that, you are trying to kill my boy, regardless of all the good he's done, and what he means to everyone else around you."

Nixie comes back up to them, her piercing eyes making a chill go through the nine-hundred-year-old kitsune's spine. Then Nixie says, "We are a new generation. And we are not doomed to repeat your failures. I will get my boy back. And you will stay out of my way. And so help me, if you kill my boy, then I don't care how powerful, how ancient, or how talented you think you are. I will make you suffer. Hell will be a merciful place to go, when I am through with you."

Then she backs up a step and says, "Kira will come back when she's ready to hear anything you have to say. Until then, she'll be with me, where she knows she can trust somebody."

On the bike, Kira asks, "How'd it go?" "Well, at the very least, I bought you a couple of nights of freedom." "Thanks." "Sure thing."

At Scott's house, when Nixie doesn't get off, Kira asks, "Do you want to come up too? Scott said you might stay here tonight." "Any other night, I might. But I think Malia is still at my place, and I don't want to leave her there alone all night." And as if on cue, Nixie's phone goes off, and it's Malia asking in a text, _"Are you coming back tonight?"_ Nixie sends back a quick reply, and then says to Kira, "Keep an eye on Scott, will you? I know he's the alpha, and he's brave and tough. But he's worried too, just like the rest of us." "I'll keep an eye on him." "Good."

Falling asleep that night, even with Malia curled around her again, was still rather difficult. Nixie knows Stiles is still in there, and somehow, he can be saved. It's just a matter of how.

And more importantly, a matter of when. Stiles was in there, and he was fighting. But eventually… well, there's only so much the human mind can take. Eventually, it gives out. Stiles was a fighter, and his mind was unlike any other.

But Nixie's not naive. She knows they're running out of time.

* * *

The next day, when Lydia calls her, Nixie's just finished cooking breakfast for Malia. Putting the phone on speaker, she asks, "Yeah?" "I found him!"

Nixie dashes into her room while shouting, "Where is he?!" Malia stops eating her sausage so she can hold the phone and carry it to the room with Nixie. And Nixie scrambles into her clothes while Lydia says, "He was just… lying on the ground in an abandoned parking lot. And his gut is split open. He… he looks almost dead." "But he's not?" "No. I mean… no, not yet. What… what do I…"

Nixie ponders it for a moment, and then says, "Take him to Scott's. Call Scott to let him know you're coming. I'll call Deaton. Is Aiden with you?" "Yeah." Aiden leans closer to listen, and then nods when Nixie says, "Good. Let Aiden drive. He's faster than you. And Lydia… hurry." "We're on it."

Malia watches as Nixie slips on her boots and then grabs her jacket. Heading for the door, she pauses, and then hurries back into the kitchen. She cuts off the stove, and then turns to Malia and says, "Okay, if I'm not back any time soon, my computer is in the bedroom. Lydia's Netflix account is already hooked up, so you can watch whatever you want. If you get hungry, there are microwavable meals in the freezer. All of them say open and heat for about four minutes. Just hit the four, and you'll be fine."

Malia nods, and then asks, "Is he… gonna be okay?" Nixie pauses at the door again, and then says, "He will."

And as she hops onto her bike, she mutters to herself, "He better be."

* * *

As they carry Stiles inside and set him on the couch, Melissa says, "Guys, this is crazy. He needs to be in a hospital." Scott just turns to her and says, "Mom, remember what happened last time he went to the hospital?" Nixie nods in agreement and says, "Blood. Carnage. All very bad things. Best to keep him here."

Melissa rolls her eyes, and then looks to Deaton with the rest as he says, "It doesn't look like he's bleeding. In fact… I think he might even be healing." Aiden glances around and asks, "You mean healing like we heal?" Scott sighs and says, "That's good. Right?"

But before Deaton can even respond, he just nods in agreement when Nixie says, "It means he's becoming more fox and less Stiles. Stiles is human. He can't heal. A fox can. If he's healing, he's becoming more Nogitsune than Stiles." Deaton then looks at her and asks, "You saw Stiles last night? Just the other night?" "Yes. For a moment." Nodding, Deaton says, "Then there may still be time." "For what?"

To her again, he says gently, "To save your boy."

Though Aiden then suggests, "Okay, but since he's probably not there, can't we just…"

The hard slap to the back of his head draws him up short, and he spins to look at Nixie. "Um… owe." She just glares at him, and then says, "Suggest killing him, even once more, and I will chop you up, put the pieces on a grill, and make up werewolf kabobs for everyone to eat."

He nods, but then says, "Okay, but if we aren't going to kill him, then why aren't we at least tying him down with really big chains?" Deaton pats his briefcase and says, "I might have something more effective." Pulling out a vile of clear liquid, Deaton nods for the boys to hold Stiles down and his mouth open.

Nixie watches the liquid slide down Stiles' throat… right before his eyes shoot open. Grinning evilly, he wraps his hand around Aiden's throat, laughing in the process. Scott grips him to try and pull him off, and Nixie shoves her way in between the two to help. Finally breaking his hold on Aiden, Nixie then winces when the Nogitsune reaches for her throat.

But as he prepares to squeeze, his hand freezes. Deaton looks at him in confusion. The rest of his body was still working at the moment, so the venom hadn't taken affect yet. And still… he wasn't choking Nixie. Grinning and chuckling, the Nogitsune says, "I'll give him this… the boy certainly does care an awful lot about this one."

Then he reaches out for Scott instead, but that's when his hand trembles with the effort to use it. As it drops back onto the couch, completely useless, he glares at Deaton and says, "Kanima venom. Nice touch."

Aiden roars in anger and prepares to advance on him, but then the Nogitsune turns his head towards him and says, "You know how they say that twins get a feeling, when the other one's in pain? You didn't lose that talent, too, did you?" As everyone looks at him worriedly, Nogitsune says, "Oh, I hope not. You're gonna need it."

Aiden and Scott look at each other, but Nixie just stares straight at the Nogitsune. And as it currently wasn't Stiles she was looking at, her piercing eyes do give him a moment of pause. Tilting his head, he smirks and says, "You are quite a remarkable creature. I may, when all is said and done, spare you to stay by my side in this world, as my carnage wreaks through it." Gritting her teeth, Nixie says, "I would not stay with you." Chuckling, he says, "I can be quite persuasive." "Not to me."

He grins, and then looks over at Aiden, who still hasn't figured out what he needs to do. Sighing, he says, "Okay, I'll give a little hint. Ethan's at the school." Aiden turns to Scott again, who tells him, "Go."

As he's racing out the door, Nogitsune laughs and says, "Oh, I hope he gets there in time. I like the twins. Short tempers. Homicidal compulsions. They're a lot more fun than you Bakemono trying to save the world every day." Scott looks at him in confusion, but then turns to Nixie in surprise when she translates, "Monster."

The Nogitsune actually looks impressed and he grins while saying, "Oh… someone's been doing their research." Nixie glares again and says, "Yeah, I've been pulling double duty since Stiles isn't here to help." Then she looks back to Scott and says, "And the fact that he likes the twins is further proof that Stiles is slipping further away. We need to do something. Today."

Scott nods in agreement, but they look back to Nogitsune when he laughs. Smirking at them, he says, "You can't save him. He's giving up. Don't you think he would've returned to you again, as he did last night, if he were still here?" Nixie comes closer and says, "He didn't let you choke me. I'll take what I can get." "Oh, but he's weak Nixie. Very weak. And pretty soon, even you won't have any sway over him or me anymore. He'll be gone, and I'll be all that's left."

Chuckling, he says, "What do you think he'd say right now, if he could see exactly how much you're failing him? You said you'd always protect him. Why aren't you protecting him, Nixie?"

The sound of storm clouds rumbling outside can be heard, and as Nixie leans back from him, turning to Scott, tears can be seen in her eyes. Scott wraps his arms around her and says, "We'll get him back. I swear to you." She nods silently against his chest, but cringes at hearing the Nogitsune laugh again.

Melissa, having had enough, says, "Doc, you brought something to paralyze his body. You got anything for his mouth?" In response, Deaton pulls out duck-tape and slaps it over the Nogitsune's lips. He screams into the tape at them, but they can all tell that he's still grinning behind it.

With him quiet though, it gives them time to think without his interfering quips. Leaving Melissa to check on the wound, the others gather at the dining room table. Scott then asks, "How much longer do you think we have? Him being paralyzed, I mean?" Deaton can only shrug and say, "I wish I knew. But… I do know that if we don't figure out something soon, we're gonna need to find a better place to keep him."

To Nixie, he says, "Not that this wasn't a great starting point. I know you were thinking fast on your feet. But I think we are grossly underestimating the danger here. I mean, he may be paralyzed… but it still feels like he's got us right in the palm of his hand."

They all nod, and then as Scott glances back at his mom, he gently brushes his hand against the back of Nixie's and says, "Stay with her in there please. I don't want her in there alone with him." "On it."

She moves to be behind the couch, and as Melissa continues tending to his wound, Stiles suddenly starts crying. Looking up at him, Melissa asks hopefully, "Stiles?" He nods, and before Nixie can tell her otherwise, Melissa pulls off the duck-tape.

The change back is instantaneous. It had never been Stiles. Smirking a little, the Nogitsune says, "Really, Melissa? I shed one tear? That's all it takes? Come on now. You can't crumble that easily. I mean… how are you gonna hold up when Scott knows the truth?"

Frowning, Melissa asks, "What?" Grinning, the Nogitsune says, "When he finds out why his dad really left." At Melissa's shocked face, he says, "You knew he overheard it, right?"

Enjoying himself, and at seeing her further surprise, he says, "You had no idea. Hmm… You called Stilinski right after it happened. You didn't tell Scott, but you told the sheriff. And Stiles… oh, Stiles heard it like he hears everything. But you wanna know why he never told Scott?"

Harshly now, he says, "Because he knew, that Scott would never forgive you. He knew how much Scott would hate you."

Melissa was about to comment, when suddenly a resounding slap could be heard. So hard, in fact, that even the people in the dining room heard it.

Coming around the couch to face him, his head now leaning forward from the slap, Nixie yanks his head back by his hair. "Shut up." But as she glares at him, and even as he grins at her, his body starts contorting. Just like it did in Derek's loft.

Nixie releases his hair and watches in amazement as the transformation takes place again. Scott and Lydia step inside too, Deaton right behind them, to see what's happening.

Gasping in a breath, as though coming up out of water, Stiles then looks to Nixie. Eyes roaming over her face, he grins slightly and says, "I knew you'd do that eventually. I knew it. He had no idea about that. It's the one thing I managed to keep from him."

Nixie hugs him so tight that he aches all over from the force, but he doesn't tell her to let go. Sighing against her shoulder, he says, "I don't have much time." "No, Stiles. Stay with me. Okay? You can…" "I can't." Leaning back from her as much as he can, he says, "Nixie… if you can't get him out of me, you have to… you have to…" He strains to stay, and then says, "Isaac. Find Isaac. He's being controlled by flies. It's the Nogitsune. I…"

Nixie can see they're losing him again. Cupping his head in her hands, she says, "I will find you, Stiles. I will bring you back to me, I swear to God. Just keep fighting. Fight for me, you understand?" She kisses his cheek hard, and then leans back to watch him.

It only takes a second more, and then the Nogitsune is back. Glaring up at her, snarling even, he says, "Oh… that is interesting. Did Stiles have a nice little field trip back to you? Sorry to say, he's on a permanent vacation now. You will never… never… see your boy again. Never!"

Nixie stands up from the couch and says, "Melissa. Tape." Melissa secures the piece over the Nogitsune's mouth again, and then watches as Nixie walks away. Back into the dining room, she leans heavily against the table. Scott comes up to her and asks, "Is that how it happened last night?" Nixie nods, and then, with a hand over her mouth, she says, "I can't… I can't… I can't believe that's the thing Stiles decided to hide from him. Me slapping him in the head? I mean… why…" Scott cups her cheek gently and says, "They hurt, for sure. But we know they're given with love."

Tears running down her cheeks a little, Nixie says, "We have to get him back, Scott." "I know." Lydia comes up beside her. Holding one of Nixie's arms in one hand, wrapping her other arm around her shoulders, Lydia then looks to Deaton and says, "The scroll said to change his body. Right?" Deaton sighs and says, "That's if I translated it correctly."

Nixie wipes at her teary eyes for a moment, cursing herself for crying right now, and then says, "You did. I looked it up." When Deaton looks to her impressed, she shrugs and says, "Research. Anyways, will it work?" Sighing again, Deaton says, "I wish I could give you a concrete answer, but I can't. The fact is, we're looking for a cure in something that might actually be nothing more than a proverb or a metaphor."

And Scott adds, "And what if he doesn't want it? I know we talked Nixie and we agreed to change him if he had the disease… but Stiles has never actually asked to be bitten." Lydia snaps, "But what if it saves his life?" And then Deaton adds, "What if it kills him?"

Scott then says, "And I've never done this before. What if I bite him, and I accidentally hit an artery or something?" Deaton glances towards the living room, where the Nogitsune is still sitting, and then says, "I may not know exactly how long it will last, but I know it's not going to be much longer. If we're going to do something, it needs to be sooner rather than later."

After a moment of silence, Scott turns to Nixie and asks, "Anything from Derek?" "No. To top it off, I can't get ahold of Chris. Alison says Isaac went to the school, which is where the twins are. And if Alison is going after him alone…" She leaves that hanging, and Scott nods before pulling out his phone. "I'll send Kira to help Alison. They should be able to handle it until we figure out what to do here."

Nixie nods, and then says, "And if it will save him, we need to try the bite. But only if it will save him." Scott puts away his phone after messaging Kira and says, "But he's never wanted the bite. Nixie… we can't just…" But Nixie gives him a hard stare and says, "This is no longer about what Stiles would want the most. This is about saving his life. And if the bite will save him, then you will bite him. That's the end of that discussion."

But Nixie sighs and says, "But if we can't get ahold of Derek, we're going to have to think of someone else to show you what to do. And there's only one other werewolf I know of that could do it."

Scott stares at her in shock and asks, "Peter? You want…" "I don't want to call Peter. But we need him at this point." Then Nixie turns to Lydia, who is saying, "I can get him to help." Frowning, Nixie asks, "How?" "I have something he wants." Standing up straight, Nixie says, "You didn't want to tell him that. About the memory that was stolen? You can't…" "He won't help us without this. And we need to figure out how to save Stiles. Soon. You said yourself that he's becoming more Nogitsune, and less Stiles, by the second."

Pulling out her phone, she says, "I'll get him here. You just make sure he knows that if he doesn't help us, he's not getting anything." Nodding, Nixie says, "Now that, I can most definitely do."

* * *

As Peter walks a circle around the Nogitsune, he says, "He doesn't look like he'd survive a slap across the face, much less the bite of a werewolf." Lydia glances over at Nixie and says, "He survived a slap to the back of the head though." Peter looks to Nixie and smirks a little before turning back to the Nogitsune.

Scott watches for a bit, and then asks, "You don't think it would work?" Peter shakes his head and says, "This is more a war of the mind than the body." Standing up straight, he adds, "There are better methods for winning this battle." Stepping up closer, Deaton asks, "What kind of methods?"

In response, Peter takes hold of Scott's hand, and forces him to extend his claws. Smirking a little, he says, "We're gonna get inside his head."

But Peter turns to Lydia and whispers, "But I always have a price." Nixie moves to Lydia's side, glaring at the psychopathic werewolf. Taking Lydia's hand, she pulls her aside, and then simply waits for Peter to follow. Grinning again, he says, "You knew there would be a price. And you did promise, Lydia." Lydia nods and says, "I said I would, and I'll do it. But only if you help." "I am helping. So tell me…"

Nixie pulls out one of the batons that she'd borrowed from the Argents. Holding it within a centimeter of his chest, Nixie says, "She will give you what you want, but the price we demand, is that you help get Stiles back. If you don't, you get nothing. If you try to trick us, you get nothing. And if you try to hurt Lydia in order to get it, then I will shove this thing so far up your ass… let's just say it's going to be a long and painful surgery to remove it."

Peter glances back towards the room in response to that. It was actually rather terrifying… the amount of certainty he had that Nixie would most definitely follow through on her threat. So, in light of that, Peter nods towards Stiles and says, "Fine. Let's get to work."

Back in the room, Deaton asks, "Do we have a plan?" Peter nods and says, "Scott is going to try and dig through pale and sickly Evil Stiles' mind… to unearth the pale and sickly, Real Stiles. Then guide him back from the depths of his own subconscious. Quite a long and hard journey. Which is why, he won't be doing it alone."

Scott blinks in confusion and asks, "What do you mean?" Peter explains, "Someone needs to go in with you. Someone else with a strong connection to Stiles." Nixie nods and says, "Lydia." And Lydia might've agreed… except that she and Scott had just seen how strong Nixie's connection to Stiles' mind was already.

And having been told that interesting detail over the phone by Lydia, and by Derek earlier in the day, Peter turns to her and says, "No. You." Nixie looks up at him, and then to everyone else who is staring at her. Back to Peter, she says, "Stiles would want Lydia. She was his physical tether when he sacrificed himself to the Nemeton for his dad. It makes sense. He'd want…"

Lydia grips her shoulders and turns Nixie to face her. Shaking her head, Lydia quotes, "You said yourself that this is not about what he wants right now. This is about what he needs. And Stiles needs you to come find him." "But…"

Peter glances at Lydia overtop of Nixie's head, and then gently taps Nixie on the shoulder. Glaring eyes meet his, but he holds his hands up peacefully, and then says, "Derek explained to me what happened at the loft. And Lydia told me what happened here just a while ago. How you managed to bring him back to the surface, helping him fight past this creature inside of him."

Nodding towards Stiles, he continues, "The journey back from the subconscious is hard, even if one is still fighting. And Stiles is human, which makes it that much harder for him. Without help, it should be impossible for him. Scott can go into his mind through his claws. But aside from him… you are somehow the only person outside of his mind that is still able to reach him. You've brought him back to the surface. Twice now."

Holding his hand out in a gesture for her to sit next to the Nogitsune, Peter says, "If we're going to get him back, it's got to be you. The one with the strongest mental connection to him."

Nixie stares at him for a moment, and then turns back to Lydia. Lydia nods encouragingly, and then Nixie sighs and says, "Fine. Let's do this."

As Peter helps Scott set up his claws behind the Nogitsune's neck, Scott asks, "What do we do if we find him?" And Nixie quickly edits, "When. When we find him, Scott." "Right. Sorry." Peter moves to Scott's other side to line up his claws behind Nixie's neck, and says, "You're going to have to guide him out somehow. Try to give him back control of his mind and his body."

Lydia, from behind them, asks, "Could you elaborate on the 'somehow'? It's not feeling very specific at the moment. We can't just send them in there blind." Peter glances at her, and then simply says to Scott, "Improvise."

Then he moves so he's in front of Nixie. And Nixie is surprised to find that he seems truly and sincerely earnest to make this work. Whatever Lydia knew about the situation of him being a father now… Peter really wanted to know.

Scott, from behind her, asks, "What if this is just another trick?" Peter glances up and asks, "When are you people going to start trusting me?" Nixie raises an eyebrow and says, "Never. But at this current point in time, I believe Scott was referring to the Nogitsune."

Peter blinks, and then says, "Oh." Then Nixie adds to Scott, "And even if it is… we're running out of time Scott. Like it or not… this is a chance we have to take." Scott nods, but pauses when Peter puts a hand on Nixie's knee. She wants to shove him away, but that earnest look is in his eyes again. Gesturing to Stiles, he says, "I can't tell you how to guide him out. I don't know what you're going to find in there. But… it seems to me that, every time he's come back… it's been because he's seen you, and it's given him hope."

Shrugging, he says, "It's the one piece of advice I can give. Make him see you… wherever he is."

Nixie nods, and then takes a deep breath before saying, "Scott. Let's do this."

The claws penetrate the back of her neck, and her mind feels tugged and pulled, as though plummeting further into the depths of her own thoughts.

Of course… waking up strapped down to a bed was most definitely not a thought she'd ever had.

Huffing in aggravation, she says, "Well, this is just great." In the bed beside her, Scott asks, "Really Nixie? Even in Stiles' head?" "The sarcasm? Always. And especially in Stiles' head. He'd be so very disappointed if I didn't throw it in somewhere."

While Scott struggles in his bonds, Nixie works on lowering one of the daggers from her sleeve. Glancing over at Scott, who is still thrashing around on the bed, she says, "Hey!" He stops to look over at her, and she asks, "Do I seriously need to remind you that you're a freaking werewolf?" "Nixie, we're in Stiles' head." "Yes, I'm painfully aware of that. And you know how we got into his head? Because you're a freaking supernatural creature! With freaking supernatural strength. And claws that get shoved into people's necks so you can see inside their freaking brain. So break the damn straps. Because if I actually manage to cut myself free before you tear yourself loose, I will seriously consider just leaving your ass here, out of sheer annoyance."

Scott stares at her for a moment, but then calms himself down and focuses on using that strength to break the straps tying him down. Nixie manages to cut through the one on her left wrist before Scott gets up and helps her finish with the rest. Helping her to her feet, he asks, "Now what?" "I have no idea. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've gone walking around in someone else's head."

Scott gives her a look, but does still grin a little. Then he says, "Just stick with me." "Trust me. No arguments there." "Good."

But, as soon as he walks out the door first, it slams shut in her face. Sighing as she tries to turn the knob, only to find it locked, Nixie says, "Great. Because I really have time to pick the damn thing."

She bends down to try working on that anyway, but freezes upon hearing a voice behind her say, "Hello my sweet little girl. Do you want to play?"

Standing up straight and spinning around, Nixie suddenly finds herself in her own apartment. But not the way it is now. She hardly stayed in her apartment nowadays. It was a place to go sleep, a place to eat if she needed to. But aside from the bare essentials, the apartment was bare now. This was the past. Years ago, when she'd just been a child.

When Naomi Bennett, her mother, had still been a part of her life, and not a patient at Eichen. This had been day one… the first day that her mother had realized her mind was slipping. The day that Nixie had attained her first scar… the one her mother had given her.

The scene before her flashes through that experience… like an old film with a few of the clips missing, but with enough that you most definitely still knew exactly what was happening. The broken glass, the running, the screaming… and as Naomi Bennett screams, "You know you want to play!" Nixie runs out the door.

Now she finds herself in the parking garage, where Peter had taken her and Stiles the night of the dance that first year. Stiles is already gone, and Peter is slamming Nixie against the concrete wall.

It's no better a second time… reliving the moment he carved that mark into her stomach.

On the outside, as everyone else is watching, Lydia watches as a trickle of blood leaks down from Nixie's nose. "What's happening?" Melissa moves a hand to cover her mouth and says, "Oh God. She's bleeding. That can't be good, right?" But as Melissa makes to move forward, Deaton stops her and says, "Not a good idea. We don't know all the supernatural laws that go into this."

But no one stops Peter from coming forward. As he crouches in front of her, looking her over, he says, "No… no, she's stronger than this. She just needs to concentrate." Lydia steps up beside him and asks, "What do you mean? She is concentrating." "No, she's not. Not right now." "She wouldn't be focusing on anything other than saving Stiles."

Looking up at Lydia, Peter says, "Every person has a sore spot Lydia. They have a pressure point that can be pushed to make you forget certain things. And I admit, Nixie has never had many that we can see. But a Nogitsune… while Scott and Nixie are in Stiles' head, the Nogitsune can probably see what those points are."

Back to Nixie, he says, "And he's pressing." Bending down next to him, Lydia asks, "So what do we do? How do we help her concentrate?" "Remind her." "Of what?" "Of what she's fighting for. Of who she's fighting for. It's never taken much for Nixie to fight back. You people are all she cares about."

Jerking his head to look at Lydia, he says, "Scream." "What? But…" "Lydia, I can't yell at her. Nixie doesn't give a shit about me. But she would topple mountains for you. So scream!"

Inside Stiles' head again, Nixie is now done with reliving her scars. Now she's running, terrified. But not for herself. She's in the woods, running after… she's not sure who. She keeps seeing Scott, Lydia, Stiles, Alison, Isaac, Boyd, Erica… all the faces of people she loves. And they're in danger. And no matter how fast she runs, she can't reach them.

She feels like she's about to collapse in exhaustion… when suddenly she hears a shrill scream from behind her. Drawing up short, Nixie pauses and listens closely. Because this wasn't the scream of a normal person, or even a person that was in danger.

It was the scream of a banshee. It was Lydia… screaming at her from far away.

Because Lydia wasn't here. Because Nixie was inside of Stiles' head. She wasn't in the forest. She wasn't chasing people in danger. She was in Stiles' head. The Nogitsune's head.

It was a trick.

And as she turns back and begins running out of the woods, towards a gated cellar nearby, she throws open the door and runs into it.

And she enters a world of white. White walls, floors, support beams, lights… everything.

Scott finds her shortly after that, sighing in relief. Nixie grins and asks, "Did you hear her?" "Oh yeah. Now what?" Nixie shrugs, but as she turns to her right to look around, she freezes before saying, "Son of a bitch."

Scott joins her, and for a moment, they just stand there staring. Because in the middle of this huge white room… Stiles and the Nogitsune are sitting on the large stump of the Nemeton, a board game resting between them.

Nixie and Scott look at each other for a moment, and then Nixie says, "Okay. Race you. Whoever wins has to buy coffee after this." And with that, they take off in the direction of the Nemeton.

Or… they try to. But no matter how much they run, or how fast; they don't gain any ground on the stump. It's as if they're running on a treadmill. All the work being done, but not actually going anywhere.

Stopping and putting her hands on her knees, Nixie huffs and says, "It's sad that all the running I've done in here can't be reflected on my real body outside." Scott gives her a look, and then says, "If we can't reach him, and he can't hear us when we yell, how the hell do we guide him out of here." Nixie shrugs and says, "I'd try to go around to the side so he could see me, but something tells me this is the only side we get to see." "Right."

As they stand there wondering for a minute, Nixie thinks back to the fact that Lydia's scream is what woke her up and made her remember where she was. Now… Nixie can't scream like that. She'd already screamed while she was running, trying to grab Stiles' attention. Nothing had worked.

Scott, on the other hand…

Turning to him, Nixie says, "Howl." Raising an eyebrow at her, Scott asks, "What?" "Stiles is part of the pack. Just like Lydia. And Lydia's scream… it told us where she was, and reminded us of where we were. She's a banshee, so that's her signal." Nodding towards Stiles, Nixie then asks, "How do wolves signal their location to others in the pack?"

Scott grins at her, and then shifts his form so he's a werewolf. Eyes glowing bright red, he answers, "They howl."

The roar that leaves his mouth vibrates the whole room, and Nixie can see that even the board on the stump begins rattling.

Stiles finally looks up, turning his head to see Scott roaring at him. For a brief moment, he still doesn't move. In fact, he seems almost terrified that somehow, Scott is trapped inside his head as well now.

Then he looks over and sees Nixie. Smiling at him, she waves her hand frantically, and then yells, "Get your butt in gear, Stiles! We gotta get out of here! And I'm not leaving without you!"

He turns back to the Nogitsune, and for a moment, Nixie is terrified that it's not working.

And then he tosses the board violently out of the way, white and black pieces of the game 'Go' scattering everywhere. The Nogitsune screams and roars in anger, but before anything else can happen… Nixie can feel herself being thrust back out of Stiles' mind.

Back outside, Lydia gasps in relief when first Scott's eyes burst open, and then Nixie's follow. His claws retracting from her neck, Nixie slumps on the couch wearily for a moment, and then struggles to stand. Scott races around towards Stiles, asking frantically, "Did it work?!"

Peter pulls Lydia to the side, demanding the information that he had helped them for. Nixie wants to go over and make him release her… but she can barely stand on her own two legs. Her legs are actually shaking so much; that it's visible to the others. Reaching out a hand for the wall, she instead finds Deaton in front of her, wrapping his arms around her to support her weight. "Nixie, you should sit…" "No… no. Did it work? Stiles? Is he…"

And she turns sharply… much too sharply, when Stiles start gagging and choking behind the duck-tape over his mouth. Ripping it off and landing on his hands and knees, he begins pulling what looks like medical gauze out of his mouth in an extremely long strand.

The room spins slightly around Nixie, but she keeps her nausea at bay and watches as the final piece comes out. And then, as if that part of it weren't scary enough, a severely bandaged hand begins reaching up out of the bandages. Slowly and surely, it works its way to standing before them… this figure wrapped from head to toe in medical gauze.

And as he lunges towards them, Peter and Scott both grab hold of him and pin him down to the other sofa in the room. Nixie watches as they struggle with him, and as the figure struggles back. Struggling to…

Struggling to uncover his face. Struggling to see again.

Her sense of direction was off, and she could barely stand. But of this she was very certain. The person that Peter and Scott were holding down… he wasn't a danger to any of them. Forcing herself upright, she shouts, "Wait!"

Both men turn to look at her, and then Scott asks, "What?" "Uncover him."

The figure beneath them, upon hearing her voice, snapped his head in her direction. He also immediately stopped fighting the arms that were holding him. Peter and Scott felt the change instantly, and then Scott started unwrapping his head.

And Stiles' face is what they saw, hidden beneath all the gauze. He looks up into the room in confusion and fear, but then locks his eyes onto Scott as he asks, "Scott?"

Then he looks over and asks, "Nixie?"

But before anyone can say anything, Melissa says, "Scott." He turns to her, and she points to the now open front door. And as Nixie turns to the rest of the room, she notices that Lydia is missing. Frowning deeply, she asks, "Where's Lydia?" Scott looks too, and then demands, "Where are they?! Lydia! LYDIA!"

He runs out the door to try and chase after them, and Nixie, despite her weak legs, makes to go after him.

It's in vain though. She hadn't been able to stop Peter from pulling Lydia aside. And she couldn't go with Scott right now to try and find Lydia. She managed to make it down the porch steps before the world starting spinning around her again. Slumping down, falling to her knees, she says softly, "Lydia."

Deaton hurried to catch her before she could completely hit the ground, and then hurriedly carried her back inside. Taking her upstairs to the spare room, he tells Melissa, "Bring a heater in here. And some extra blankets."

As she hurries off, Deaton says softly to Nixie, "Hurry and get better Nixie. I don't think any of us are going to feel truly safe around this Stiles, until you can confirm that he's ours."

* * *

Chapter 10! I actually managed to get through all of this in the morning before I have to go to work! Yay! So now, we can hope that I'll at least have Chapter 11 posted later in the day as well. Pre-warning, sad things are about to come. Be braced.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

And I feel the need to give warning. This chapter ends in a very sad way. Those who have already seen the show, should be very aware of this. Those who haven't... well, be braced. My whole story is a giant spoiler for the show in some ways, but I feel like this particular chapter (at least the end), is definitely a major spoiler.

You have been warned.

* * *

Chapter 11: Episode 3x23

Upon waking up, Nixie notices that it's dark outside. Definitely not a good sign. There had still been some daylight left before she'd passed out.

And remembering that she'd passed out at all, pisses her off beyond belief. She'd been through too much to pass out from a simple invasion of the mind.

Okay… an invasion of anyone's mind isn't simple. But still… Nixie's pissed.

As she sits up, tossing the several layers of blankets aside, she notices the two heaters that are also facing the bed, trying to heat her body up. And she's grateful to the people that put them there. Apparently she'd needed them. But it was hot in this room now, and it was uncomfortable. Nixie always runs cold, that's a given fact of life at this point. But that didn't mean she couldn't handle warmth. She liked warmth. But heaters and blankets… they weren't exactly what she considered comforting forms of warmth.

People. Human contact. Hugs and being held. Those were comforting forms of warmth.

But she supposes those definitely weren't possible, given all that must've been happening while she was out. Swinging her legs off the side of the bed, running her hands through her hair, Nixie takes a moment to try and take inventory in her brain of all that's going on.

Lydia is gone. Isaac had apparently been under Nogitsune control, and she doesn't know what happened with that situation yet. And in spite of the fact that she knows she hadn't actually relived all of her scars being given to her body, that it was all in her head the second time around… everything still aches. The mind was a powerful tool that way. It's why it's so impressive that Stiles held on this long.

Stiles.

* * *

While Melissa was working to check that this version of Stiles was physically stable… she was still scared of him. And for Stiles, it gives him the worst feeling he's ever had. The woman was edgy around him. The same woman that he'd accidentally called 'mom' not even a full month ago.

It was evident again, in the way she hesitated to touch his wrist to take his pulse. Stiles lifts his hand gently and slowly, trying not to frighten her further.

There is hope in her eyes. Like she wants to believe it's him. But she's not sure. No one's sure. Not a single person that's been in this room to see him has been sure it's him.

After Melissa is done, she says, "Well… Medically, you seem okay. You're definitely a real person." Stiles sighs and says, "Okay, so I'm real. But am I really me?"

Scott, who had been coming from downstairs, sighs in relief when he sees Nixie rush out of the spare room that Isaac had been using. "Thank God you're awake. We've been worried sick." But she ignores him for the most part. She mutters a brief, "I'm fine," and then heads towards Scott's room.

Melissa turns as soon as the door swings open, and she also sighs in relief upon seeing Nixie standing there. Stiles does too. They hadn't let him go near that room since this had happened. Not that he really could. He was still weak from… whatever the hell had happened with the Nogitsune. But, it had been made very apparent that, if he'd tried to, no one would've let him near her while Nixie was out.

But she was here now. And for a brief moment, she just stares at him on the bed.

It fills him with more relief than anyone will ever comprehend, when she finally rushes into the room saying, "Stiles." He didn't care that his body ached, or that he was already cold and she was too. It didn't matter that everyone else he'd seen so far had been scared to go near him or touch him or even look at him.

Nixie knew it was him. And as she held him tight, curled her body around his, kissed his cheek and ran a hand over his head… he swears nothing has ever felt so good in his life. Nixie did what she always did. For a moment, all of his stress and worries vanished, and all that mattered was that he was in her arms, and she knew it was him.

And judging from her grip, if she could help it, he wouldn't be leaving her sight for the next day or so.

It was an instantaneous change in everyone else too. Melissa, whose posture had been rigid the whole time, was now relaxed and had a hand on Stiles' free shoulder, rubbing him there gently. And Scott, in the doorway, looked like a cross between thrilled and amused as he stood there, watching Stiles and Nixie on the bed.

Holding her head to his chest, Stiles sighs and says shakily, "I knew you'd find me." And he knows she's crying a little, but he still laughs when she says, "Obviously. I'm the one obsessed with knowing where people are. If anyone was going to find you, it would be me. Well, and Scott. I suppose he helped a little." Stiles hugs her tighter and says, "I've missed that." "I've missed you."

They all remain still and silent for a moment, just basking in each other's presence. Then Stiles looks to Scott and asks, "Is she here?" Nixie frowns, but doesn't interrupt as Scott says, "Yeah." Stiles sighs, "Alright. Let's do this." And even though he's thrilled to have Nixie in his arms, to know that she believes it's him, he does still need to do this. A final test, so they all know for sure.

And he knows Nixie is not going to like it one bit. Confirmed by the sternness of her tone when she asks, "Do what?"

Stiles just hugs her tighter for a moment, and then says, "Help me up Nixie. We have to do this." "Do what?" But even as she asks, she crawls out of the bed and helps him to his feet. Scott moves to his other side to help him carefully down the stairs.

Nixie is about to ask again, when she freezes upon seeing Noshiko standing in the living room. The woman looks to her briefly, but then asks Stiles, "Do you recognize me?" He nods to her that he does, and then gently makes Scott let him go. He doesn't try with Nixie. He knows that's not going to happen.

Then Kira bursts into the house and says, "Stop."

Noshiko turns to her, happy to see her daughter, but holding out a hand to stop her from approaching Stiles. And Stiles, for his part, tells Kira, "It's okay. I'm the one who asked her to come." Kira replies, "You're the one who's going to get stabbed with swords. Mom, don't do this to him."

But Noshiko turns back to them and says, "It's already done."

They appear, like always, out of the shadows in the room. Approaching silently and swiftly, before almost anyone can do anything about it.

But Nixie had closed her eyes. As soon as she'd seen Noshiko, she'd known what was happening… why they'd called her here. The Oni were hers. They belonged to her. And they were hear to do the test. To see if Stiles was Stiles. And Nixie knew it was Stiles. Was as sure of it as she could be.

But what if the Oni didn't agree?

It was that lingering question in her mind that had a dagger slipping from her sleeve. And before Stiles could protest, or Scott could stop her, she'd effectively cut down one's path, and then spun in front of Stiles to face the other. Another dagger in her previously free hand, she lashed out at him ferociously, knocking him back towards the elder fox in the room.

To say Noshiko was impressed, would've been an understatement. There were very few people who were ever capable of getting the drop on the Oni. But she pushed them to move forward again, and as they did, they drew their swords from their chests, prepared to fight.

Stiles tries to grab Nixie, saying, "Nix, don't. I asked…" "No!" Glancing at him, she says, "I know it's you. They are not going to touch you." "Nixie… we have to…" But as the Oni approach her again, she screams, "NO!"

She's the only one that fights them. She knows that. She doesn't care. If they touch Stiles, she will kill them. If she has to, she'll kill Noshiko to make sure they die.

When she finally gets tossed to the ground, she rolls onto her knees, watching as the two Oni surround Stiles from the front and back. And as they reach towards him, Nixie throws a dagger harshly at one while shouting, "NO!"

After the dagger hits, both Oni pause. Heads turning to look at her, they both tilt them to the side as they watch her with their glowing firefly eyes. And though Scott was going to let them touch Stiles, to perform their test, he steps up when one of them begins approaching Nixie.

Noshiko… has never seen this. The Oni were hers. They were her tails, her warriors. They followed her commands, always.

And here her Oni were… stopping at the desperate pleading of the young woman before them. And her eyes widen when the Oni that walks up to Nixie doesn't fight her, doesn't restrain her, and doesn't try to hurt her in any way. But rather… he presents to her his samurai sword.

Nixie blinks in confusion. The Oni's head was bowed, his sword held out to her like a gentle present. Glancing at Scott, Nixie says, "Um… I don't understand." Scott shrugs, but then says, "Take it, I guess."

Nixie puts her hand on the hilt and picks it up. It didn't exactly feel good in her hands… but at least the Oni didn't have it anymore. He bows his head again to her, and then steps back up to Stiles. The other Oni backs away, and as Nixie moves closer to Stiles, he raises his sword at her. Not in a threatening way. Not yet. But he was clearly ready for a fight if it came to it.

And that's when Nixie understood. For whatever reason… the Oni were going to give her a chance. If they did their test and decided it wasn't Stiles… they would still give her a chance to defend him from them.

Nixie hadn't trained much with swords. She preferred daggers and bullets. But if it meant keeping Stiles safe…

She readied herself as the other Oni put his hand to Stiles head, performing the test that would tell them if it was him or not. And even though Nixie already knew that she was correct; that it was Stiles standing before them, she still felt relief beyond any she'd ever felt before, when she heard the mark being burned against the skin at the back of Stiles' ear.

As the Oni before her lowers his sword in a peaceful gesture, Nixie drops the one that had been given to her and jerks around so she can catch Stiles before he hits the ground. He's cold, just like the rest of them had been after the test. But as she makes to move, to maybe get Scott to take her place in holding him, Stiles clutches at her hand tightly. Pulling it around to his chest, cradling it there, he says through chattering teeth, "Don't… let go."

Nixie squeezes him tighter in response, and motions Scott to come over to check behind Stiles' ear. And sure enough, that backwards five, the kanji for 'self', was lightly burnt into the skin. Sighing in relief, Scott says, "It worked."

Stiles looks up to Noshiko and asks, "Am I actually me?" She answers, "More you than Nogitsune." Nixie glares at the woman and says, "It's him." Running her hands through his hair while his head rests in her lap, she says, "I know it's you." "I know Nix."

Then he looks to Noshiko again and asks, "Can to Oni find him?" "Tomorrow night. It's too close to dawn now." Stiles grits his teeth, and then asks, "Can they kill him?" Noshiko pauses on that one, and then says, "That depends on how strong he is."

Scott jumps in with, "What about Lydia? Why would he take her?" Noshiko answers, "Only for an advantage." When Scott gives Noshiko a confused look, Nixie says to him, "The power of a banshee." Scott nods, and then shakes his head and says, "We have to find her." Nixie nods in agreement, "Damn straight."

Noshiko looks to Kira and says, "Come home, Kira. We have things to discuss, and lessons to learn." "But mom! Lydia!"

As the two argue, Nixie looks over Noshiko for a moment. The woman still couldn't be trusted. Not entirely. And if she was planning on doing something else that might possibly hurt Stiles… Nixie needed to know what that might be.

Kira stops arguing with her mother when Nixie says, "Kira." Turning back to her, Kira bends down and asks, "Yeah, Nix?" "It's alright. Go." Kira widens her eyes at Nixie, and a flash of hurt crosses her face. But Nixie looks past her, to Noshiko, who is turning to leave the room while the friends say their goodbyes, for now.

As soon as the elder fox is out of sight, Nixie grips Kira's wrist and says, "Watch her. I still do not trust her. So be my eyes, and watch her for me." The hurt on Kira's face instantly vanishes when she realizes Nixie isn't metaphorically benching her. In hindsight, it was stupid to think Nixie might. With Stiles still on the mend and Lydia missing… it was an 'all hands on deck' situation.

Kira wasn't being sent away. She was on a solo mission. And it was a solo mission, because Nixie trusted her. She might not trust Kira's mother, but Nixie did trust Kira. And Scott had already explained to her that Nixie's trust was not given out lightly or freely. You had to be worthy of it. And heaven help anyone who did something stupid enough to completely lose it.

Nodding, Kira says, "I'll keep you posted." "Good."

After she's gone, Scott asks, "Where should we start looking for Lydia?" Nixie sighs and says, "I don't know. The Nogitsune isn't a mind I understand. When it was part Stiles, I might've wagered a guess… but I have no idea now."

Stiles opens his eyes to look up at her. Her fingers were still running through his hair, leaving him with a peaceful feeling. It was almost enough to make him fall asleep. Reaching up to brush against her cheek with his knuckle, he says, "We'll find her. We have to. So, where might be a good place to look for clues?"

Nixie shrugs again, but then pauses as she thinks on that. Then she says, "Actually, we can use our first stop to kill two birds with one stone." Raising an eyebrow, Stiles asks, "How?" "Help me get him up, Scott."

Scott helps Nixie lift Stiles back to his feet, and then asks, "Where are we going?" "To the sheriff's station. Because if we start going on another manhunt without first telling Noah that we got his son back, I seriously think he might shoot one of us. And since I don't fancy a visit to the hospital, that's where we're going."

Stiles chuckles all the way to the jeep, and then can't help but let out a burst of laughter when Nixie says, "I don't know what the hell you're laughing at. I'm dead serious. And I mean, as a heart attack, serious."

* * *

When Jordan walks through the outer office again, he pauses at the sheriff's door. The man was sitting at his desk, head in his hand, clearly rather depressed and melancholy. He got to keep his job. Apparently Agent McCall had been a key part in making sure Stilinski didn't get fired at the impeachment hearing.

But none of that mattered, and Jordan knew it. Noah could've just won the lottery, and it still wouldn't matter. Because Stiles, his son, was still missing. And judging from his slouched position, he didn't think they were closer to finding him yet.

But Noah wasn't going to do anyone any good here. So Jordan knocks gently on the door, opens it, and then sticks his head in to say, "Go home, sheriff. If anything comes up about Stiles, you know I'll call you in a second." Noah simply shakes his head though and says in a monotone voice, "I'm not going anywhere."

Since he knows the sheriff won't be argued with on this point now, Jordan shrugs and says, "Well, neither am I since my shift doesn't end until dawn. You want a coffee?" Noah shakes his head, but then sits up a little and concedes, "Aw, you're a good guy Parrish. That's what they all said at your previous station. Hell, Nixie said it too the moment she saw you, and that's saying something in itself."

Jordan blinks in surprise to that last statement, but before he can ask about it, Noah comments, "Though… no one could tell me exactly why you left." Shrugging, he answers, "Maybe I needed a change. I don't… really know myself. I guess, I kind of felt drawn here."

Then, a bit sarcastically, Jordan adds, "And I knew there were openings." Noah raises an eyebrow and asks, "Do you know why there were openings?" Jordan nods, but says, "The statistics don't worry me." Sighing, Noah replies, "Well… they worry me." "Well, then maybe you need to get some sleep. Go home sheriff. I'll call you if anything comes in about Stiles."

Noah finally nods, conceding that he should probably get some rest. As he stands up to collect his things, Jordan watches the man, and then asks, "Um… and… can I ask a question?" "Sure, Parrish." "You said… that Nixie said I was a good guy? The first time she saw me? I'm just… wondering why that's significant?"

Grinning, Noah says, "Nixie's… she's not hard to please when it comes to people. She just… has a high set of standards that need to be met. People fall short all the time, and even some of us occasionally let her down sometimes. But… she knows our potential. She knows who we're capable of being."

Chuckling a little, Noah says, "Stiles… my son… he claims that Nixie has; a sort of sixth sense about these things. She can look at people, and she knows if they're trustworthy or not. She knows if they'll make good friends or not. She just… knows."

Then Noah points at Jordan and says, "And for my son's benefit, I got her opinion on every single one of the new candidates I interviewed for this office. And after each interview, I'd agree with her assessment, spot on. And she liked a whole lot of them, which is good. But you were the exception. You're the one she told me was the best she'd seen so far."

Jordan… well, he doesn't know what to think of that. He feels pride at having won over someone's confidence so quickly. Even if just a day or so ago, he and Nixie had been arguing across the counter, and she'd been glaring at him with eyes that seemed to cut through him like razor blades.

He's not entirely sure why he feels so proud of that… but he is. Grinning a little, Jordan says, "Guess I have a lot of expectation set upon me." "Oh, heaps." Chuckling, Jordan says, "I promise to call you, sheriff." "Thanks Parrish. Now, if I could just find my keys."

As Jordan turns to leave, he freezes when he sees Nixie coming in the door… with Scott and Stiles in tow behind her. He stares at her and them so long, that Nixie has to gently nudge him in the side and say, "You're blocking the doorway." He shifts to the side, watching as Nixie opens the door for Stiles to step inside. And as Noah asks himself about his keys again, Stiles says, "In your coffee cup. You always drop them in your empty cup."

Jordan watches from behind them as Noah stares at his son. Then the man turns to Nixie, silently asking her a question that Jordan doesn't understand.

But Nixie nods, and then steps forward and gives Stiles a tight hug before stepping out of the office to give the two Stilinski men a moment alone. Jordan tilts his head at her and asks, "How'd you find him?" Sighing, Nixie says, "That… is a long story. And I'm not in the mood to tell it. Let's just… be very happy that he's back. Can we do that?"

Jordan nods, but then bends down so he can look directly at her face. "You look tired." She lets out a short laugh and says, "I'm exhausted. But… I'll also sleep when I'm dead. And probably not before."

Turning to face him, Nixie says, "I… need a favor. I mean, Noah's gonna ask you to do it anyway. I'd just… like to get a jump on it, if you don't mind?" Jordan shrugs and asks, "What is it?" "I need you to put an APB out on Lydia Martin's car."

He opens his mouth to ask what on earth happened to her… but then decides it'd be better to just ask later. If it was so bad already that an APB needed to be put out, then Nixie was smart to want to get a jump on it.

He's at his desk, putting in the message and calling dispatch to put out the alert, when Noah comes out of the office and says, "Parrish, I need…" Jordan looks up at him and says, "I've got an APB out on Lydia Martin's car. And I've alerted other dispatch stations of her description."

Noah stares at him for a minute, and then looks up at Nixie. She shrugs and says, "I asked. He agreed." Chuckling, Noah says, "Just don't start taking every order she gives. I need to maintain some level of authority in this office." Nixie raises an eyebrow and says, "He already wouldn't give Chris his baton back until you told him. I'd say he's off to a great start."

After Noah's back in the office, Jordan says, "I'm still not sorry about that." "I know."

She rounds back to the front of his desk, about to head into Noah's office too. Jordan is looking down at his desk again, working on sending out more information on Lydia, when he feels her come back. Looking up at her, he asks, "You need something else? About Lydia?" Nixie shakes her head, and then says, "I just… wanted to say thank you." Tilting his head, Jordan asks, "For the BOLO? That's not a problem. I would've…" "No… I meant before."

Jordan is still confused, until Nixie says, "You were right. About watching Chris. And I… might not have thought to watch him so closely… if you hadn't warned me about it. So, thank you." Jordan nods, but stands up. Eyes looking over her closely, he asks, "Did he hurt you?"

Nixie blinks at him in surprise, but then smiles gently and says, "No. He's still harmless where I'm concerned." Jordan raises an eyebrow and says, "But you had to watch him." "Yeah. For other reasons."

Sighing, Jordan says, "You keep strange company, Nixie." Nixie doesn't deny that, but says, "Maybe. But I've found that's what makes my life interesting, and worth living."

Jordan finally grins, and then says, "Be careful." "As careful as I can be."

Back in Noah's office, Nixie walks in just in time to hear Stiles say, "He took her for a reason, dad. If we can figure out the why, then we'll figure out the where." Nodding, Noah asks, "Alright. So, what would a Nogitsune need with a banshee?"

Stiles sighs and says, "I don't know. Lydia's pretty good at finding dead bodies. Maybe he needs to find a body?" Nixie shakes her head and says, "Doubtful. He's had all the time in the world to find a body if he wanted one. He's killed plenty already, it's not like he'd be in short supply."

Noah then turns to Scott and says, "Scott, you know more about this than any of us." Blinking, he asks, "Me?" Nixie rolls her eyes and says, "No, the other 'Scott' in the room. Of course he means you, dumbass." Scott gives her a look, but can't find it in him to be offended when Stiles starts laughing. Sighing, Stiles says, "Oh, I've missed you guys."

Nixie grins at him, and then listens as Noah says, "Anyways. Yes, you, Scott. You said you got the whole story from Noshiko?" Scott nods, but says, "Yeah, but that happened during World War II. It was like… seventy years ago." Nixie nods in agreement, and is about to comment on that as well, when Stiles suddenly asks, "Wait… what did you say?" Scott answers, "Noshiko told me about the internment camp…"

Stiles cuts him off and gestures to his dad before saying, "No, before that. Dad… you said, the 'whole' story." Scott nods in agreement, and as the gears keep spinning in Stiles' head, Nixie looks at him closely and says, "Spit it out Stiles. What's going on up there?" He looks to her, and then says, "There's a girl at Eichen House. Her name is Meredith. While I was there, she was talking on a phone that didn't even work. Talking to no one. But she was talking about how somebody would want to know the 'whole' story. I think she can help us."

Nodding, Nixie says, "Worth a shot." Opening the door of Noah's office again, Nixie looks out and says, "Hey Parrish." He looks up from his desk, and then raises an amused eyebrow at her when she asks, "You wanna do the sheriff another favor? You'll quickly become his favorite."

Standing to see what they want, Jordan whispers as he walks in, "Really? And I thought you were the reason I was his favorite."

The blush that stains her cheeks is adorably beautiful, and as she ducks her head, Jordan mercifully turns away from her to address Noah. Then he heads back out to try and find out if Meredith is still at Eichen House, and if she can come to the phone."

It takes him a bit, but he finally figures out who it is exactly that they're looking for. Coming back to the office, he says, "Sheriff. Meredith Walker is her whole name." Nodding, Noah asks, "She still there?" "Yes. But they moved her to the closed unit." Stiles turns in confusion and asks, "Why?" Jordan answers, "They said behavioral issues."

When that doesn't seem to satisfy any of them, Jordan looks to Nixie and asks, "Does it help to know that the issue was that she wouldn't stop screaming?" All four of them freeze in Noah's office, and then Nixie looks to him and gives a slight nod before turning back to Stiles and Scott. And as Jordan leaves the office, Nixie whispers, "Banshee?" Stiles shrugs, but says, "Makes sense. Hearing voices that aren't really there? Or at least… aren't there for anyone else to hear. I buy it."

Looking to Noah, Nixie says, "We need to get her and talk to her. And I mean, like, yesterday would've been a better day to do it." Noah nods and says, "I'll go pick her up. You three stay here, or keep me posted if you go anywhere else." Nixie gives him a salute and says, "Aye, aye, captain. Just for the record though, we're probably going back to Scott's house for now." Noah nods, though he does ask, "Why exactly?"

And they all laugh when Nixie says, "Because if I'm going to have any hope of staying awake through all of this, Stiles has to make me coffee. And since he hasn't been around to make me my coffee for quite some time, he's going to make it in a large container. Not one of these rinky-dink ones you guys have here at the station. And quit laughing. I'm serious."

* * *

When Nixie heard the twins were in trouble, she called Derek to inform him. She couldn't leave Stiles right now to go help them. And, even though she did like them for the most part now, they weren't close enough to her that she felt she needed to leave to go and try to save them herself. Besides… she needed to save that for when they went to find Lydia.

She's just hung up with him, relaxing in the knowledge that Derek is on his way to find them, when she hears Stiles jerking up from the couch in a panic. He'd fallen asleep there after making her a cup of a coffee. And what a marvelous cup it was. Nixie has even agreed that it can be called Stiles coffee now, so long as he continues to always make it for her.

Rushing into the living room, grabbing one of his arms when he nearly falls down, Nixie asks, "What's wrong?" Scott hurries in too, grabbing Stiles' other arm and asking, "You alright?" Taking in a gasping breath, Stiles asks frantically, "What happened? How long what I out?" Nixie checks her phone and says, "Just a couple of hours." Scott nods and says, "You should sit down dude. You're gonna need your strength."

But Stiles shakes his head and asks, "Where's my dad?" Nixie turns him to face her and says, "He's at Eichen House. Looking for Meredith. And we promised him that we wouldn't let you out of our sight. Which… you know, I was planning on anyway, so no problems there."

Stiles grins at her, though still a little shaky, and then he asks, "What about the others?" Scott answers, "Everyone is out looking for Lydia." Stiles shakes his head in aggravation, still out of breath, and says, "It's starting to feel like we're waiting on a ransom call." Scott says assuredly, "We'll find her."

And then Nixie adds, "And I am prepared to sell my bike if money is actually required to get her back." Stiles gives Nixie a look, but there's still a bit of amusement in his eyes. Scrambling around a bit, he finds his jacket and slips it on. Scott eyes him for a second, and then asks, "You alright?" Stiles nods and says, "Yeah. I don't know why, I just can't seem to get warm."

But as Nixie takes a step to the side, away from him since she knows she runs cold, Stiles immediately jerks to look over at her. Coming with her, cupping her face in his hands, he says, "No. You stay with me." "I'm not going anywhere Stiles. Just making sure I don't add to you freezing to death." "I don't mind being cold if it's with you."

Nixie gives him a look now, but steps back into his side willingly. He sighs and slumps heavily against her, so Scott says, "Maybe you should sit down." But as he reaches out and touches the back of Stiles' hand, black lines immediately begin creeping through the veins beneath. Nixie's eyes widen at the sight of it. It had never been that instantaneous before. It always took Scott a minute to focus on taking the pain.

But not this. Scott looks up at Stiles in shock and says, "You're in pain." Stiles shrugs and shakes his head, saying, "It's not that bad. It's more like a dull ache." "Where?" He pauses a moment, and then sighs and says, "Sort of everywhere." Scott then reaches forward to take hold of Stiles' hand again, and then he says in shock, "Dude, you're actually freezing."

Nixie does step away this time, and when Stiles makes to pull her back, she says, "Stiles, I am always with you, and I will always be what you need me to be. And right now, that's the person getting you a blanket, some hot chocolate, and the person who tells Scott to put a warm arm around you and figure out how much you're really hurting."

As she walks away to do that, Scott says, "She's right. Now, tell me the truth. How bad is it?" Stiles still doesn't answer, but when Nixie comes back with a blanket, it's written all over his face. He's in agony. He's just trying really hard not to show it.

He's drank about half the hot chocolate she made for him, when Nixie's phone rings. Picking up, she asks, "Yeah Kira?" "She's here! Meredith, is here, in Coach's class. And you need to get here too. Quickly, before the orderlies come to take her back to Eichen House." "On it."

Turning to Scott, she says, "Resting time is over. Let's go. Meredith's at the school."

* * *

Lydia knows what the Nogitsune is trying to do. Suggesting that her friends were chasing hopeless leads or dealing with issues far more important than the issue of finding her. She knows that he's trying to break down her spirit… her will to escape, survive, and live. He's trying to take away her hope.

But as he stands there, apparently feeding off of all the pain and suffering that she can hear within these walls, she feels him freeze when she says, "You're wrong. They're coming for me. _She's_ coming for me."

Hissing through his teeth, he says, "You mean your little spit-fire friend, Nixie." "She'll find me." "I wouldn't be so sure. She's probably got her hands full with Stiles."

But Lydia just smiles and says, "Nixie thrives on having her hands full. If we were a team of circus performers, she'd be the tight-rope walker, and the juggler, all in one. She can't be everywhere at once. She knows that. We all know that. But she knows balance. She knows where it's most important for her to be, and who needs her the most."

Nodding, Lydia adds, "And I need her now. So she is coming for me. It's not a matter of, if. It's a matter of, when."

Turning to look at the Nogitsune, she says, "And I hope she kills you."

He smirks back at her when she says that, and then says, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

* * *

When Nixie meets them back in the middle of the school, she says between breaths, "I circled… the upstairs… five times. She's not there." Scott nods and says, "Not in the basement." Stiles is gasping as he says, "I… haven't checked… everywhere yet guys. Sorry. I can't…" Nixie motions for Scott to help Stiles continue walking, and then says, "Holler if you find anything in this direction. I'm going that way."

But it doesn't take much longer. Scott hollers for Nixie about a minute later, and when she arrives at the music room, the woman named Meredith is at the piano. Brunski is on the floor, hit with his own taze gun. And Coach is standing over him, saying, "We have a very strict no-bullying policy in this school." Then he turns to look at them, and says, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get her outta here!"

As they hurriedly grab Meredith and rush her out of the room, Nixie runs up to Coach. Wrapping him in a tight hug that has him gaping at her, she says, "You are awesome Coach. And I'll never help prank you the day before Halloween, ever again. Promise." He grins down at her, and then as Brunski starts to say, "You little piece of…" Coach hits him the gun again. Then he adds, "We also frown on cursing."

Nixie grins at Coach, and then takes off after her friends to the parking lot.

In the jeep, which they'd all ridden here, Stiles turns hurriedly towards the back where Meredith is sitting next to Nixie. "Alright. Where's Lydia?" Meredith blinks in confusion, and then asks, "Who's Lydia?"

Sighing, Nixie says, "And we're back to square one. Excellent." Stiles and Scott look at each other, and then Stiles asks, "Well, what do we do?" Nixie leans forward and says, "Back to Scott's house. We can keep her there for a while and buy some more time. I'm sure you're right and she can help. We just have to figure out how. So let's go."

As they're driving down the road, Meredith looks over at Nixie and says, "You're cold." Nixie looks back at her, and then says, "Yeah. I come naturally that way. Sorry." "It's nice." Nixie nods and then smiles a little and opens her arm. Meredith scoots over and curls into her side, sighing and relaxing for the rest of the ride back to Scott's house. Scott glances back and raises an eyebrow, but Nixie just shrugs in response. She didn't see anything wrong with holding the girl from Eichen House. A banshee who was probably only in that facility in the first place, because she could hear the voices of the dead and no one believed her.

And if they really wanted her help… well, hugging her and helping her relax for a while seemed like a fine way to get things started.

* * *

When they arrived at the house, Scott barges in first… only to find his father standing in the middle of the room. Isaac was sitting at the table, waiting on them. As Nixie, Meredith, and Stiles all walk in behind him, Scott asks, "What are you doing here?" Rafe simply says, "I could ask you the same thing. It's a school day."

Nixie narrows her eyes at the man and says, "Free period." Stiles nods and adds, "We're doing a group study." Rafe tilts his head at them, and then nods towards Meredith and asks, "Who's she?" Stiles puts an arm around her and says, "My girlfriend."

And Nixie can't help but grin when Meredith follows up with, "You're not my type." To Rafe, Nixie says, "And honest, to a fault. Which is one of the issues we're eventually going to be addressing, after group study. Upstairs."

Then Meredith looks over at Isaac and says, "He's my type." Isaac gapes at her for a moment, but then stares at Nixie when she says, "Okay. Isaac and Stiles, go upstairs. Go ahead and get started. Go."

After they leave, Scott says to his dad, "Look… I'll explain all of this later." But Rafe cuts him off, saying, "I don't care that you're not in school. I know your grades are fine. All I want to do is talk." "Okay, but dad, now's really not a good time." "Scott. We need to talk."

Then he glances at Nixie and says, "Alone… if that's possible." Nixie narrows her eyes at the man, but then turns her attention to Scott. "What do you want?" Scott grins at her in appreciation. It didn't matter to her, whatsoever, if Rafe wanted her gone. If Scott wanted her to stay, she would stay. If Scott wanted her to throw Rafe out the door, she'd do that too.

But for now, he says, "I'll holler if I need you." Nixie nods, and then casts one more suspicious look at Rafe, before moving around them and heading up to join the boys and Meredith.

When she gets there, Stiles and Isaac have finally managed to explain who Lydia is. Because Meredith says in realization, "Oh, Lydia! You mean the red-haired girl." Stiles answers excitedly, "Yes! Good! Progress." Nixie walks in and says, "It is a beautiful thing."

Stiles nods, and then says to Meredith, "Now, all you have to do, is tell us where she is." Meredith nods and says, "Okay. If she tells me."

Nixie frowns a little at that while Isaac asks, "If she tells you? Can you… ask her?" Meredith smiles proudly and says, "I already did." Sighing in relief, Stiles says, "Excellent. Perfect. What did she say?" Meredith frowns a bit at this, but answers honestly, "She said… she doesn't want to be found."

As the boys move away to discuss other options, Nixie bends down in front of Meredith. Looking up at her where she sits on the edge of the bed, Nixie asks, "What do you mean, she doesn't want to be found? Why wouldn't she want us to find her?" Meredith shakes her head and says, "She wants someone to find her. She wants Nixie to find her."

Nixie smiles a little at that and says, "Well, that's me." Meredith smiles too and says, "I know. She said you were the cold one." Nixie laughs a bit, and then asks, "So… can you tell me where she is? Just me?" But Meredith shakes her head again and says, "She didn't tell me. She said she wanted you to find her. But not everyone." Frowning, Nixie asks, "Not everyone? I don't understand. Why wouldn't she want everyone? Is there someone specific she doesn't want there?" "Yes." "Who?"

Meredith frowns deeper and says, "I don't know. She wouldn't tell me. I asked… but she got distracted." Sighing, Nixie says, "By the Nogitsune no doubt." Back to Meredith, Nixie says, "Thank you."

Then the boys come back, and Stiles tries to get Meredith to focus on the sounds around her, like maybe a banshee can. But Nixie sighs and says, "Guys… these things never work the way you think they will. She needs a trigger or something. A sound to derive the information from."

Stiles asks her, "You got any better ideas?" "Not particularly. I'm just saying."

And then Meredith asks, "Aren't you going to get that?" Seeing that the question is directed at Nixie, she's the one who asks, "Get what?" "Your phone. Lydia… she said you always answer it. Why aren't you picking it up?"

There is absolute silence in the room for a moment, and Nixie knows her phone is on vibrate, so it would at least buzz in her pocket if it were going off.

But… Meredith apparently thought it was going off. So, with no idea really who she's supposed to be talking to, Nixie pulls out her phone and asks, "Hello?" She waits a second, and then shrugs and says, "Yeah, she's here." Then she hands it to Meredith, who takes it and holds it to her ear. And unlike Nixie; Meredith actually looks like she hears something on the other end.

Banshees get phone calls from the beyond. What next?

Stiles gives Nixie a thumb's up for a job well done, and then takes the phone back from Meredith and hands it to Nixie. Then Meredith says, "They say, 'Coup de foudre'." Stiles blinks and asks, "Coup de… what? Is that Spanish?" Isaac shrugs that he doesn't know, but then they all turn to Scott in the doorway when he says, "French. It's French."

Nixie raises an eyebrow and asks, "And you know that, because…" "Because it's one of the phrases that Noshiko was teaching Rhys before he was killed and then possessed by the Nogitsune. I know where Lydia is." Throwing her hands up in the air, Nixie says, "Great. Let's go save my best friend."

Turning back to Meredith, Nixie says, "And thank you for all your help." Meredith smiles, and then waves as they all race out the door to the place where Lydia is being held. Where the old internment camp, Oak Creek, used to be, before it was covered up by the corrupt doctor and soldiers who had worked there.

Nixie takes her bike this time, wanting to be as fast as possible. With any luck, Alison and Kira will meet them there at the same time. Pulling up beside Stiles' side of the jeep, she says, "Keep up with me." "I'll do my best."

* * *

When Nixie arrives at the old camp, she hops off her bike just as Alison and Kira pull up. Sighing in relief, Alison says, "I was worried I was going too slow. Thought you'd start without me." "Without you? Never. Without Scott and Stiles? Possibly, if they don't hurry the hell up. I told Stiles to keep up with me."

It takes him another minute, but they finally arrive. Stiles just gives her a look and says, "My jeep can only do so much. It doesn't have rocket boosters, like your bike." "Oh, whatever."

As they gather around the gated entrance of this foreboding place, Scott looks at all of them, all of his pack, and says, "We've done this before, guys. A few weeks ago, we were standing around just like this, and we saved Malia. Remember?" Everyone else nods, though Nixie raises her hand and says, "I was kind of passed out for that bit, so do I get a free pass on the remembering part?"

Scott grins at her, and then says, "But if you had been there, it would've gone smoother, I'm sure. But we did pull that off. We saved her. And that was a total stranger to us. This is Lydia."

Everyone nods to that, and then Alison says, "I'm here to save my best friend." Nixie raises her hand and says, "Seconded." And Scott looks to Stiles and says, "And I came to save mine." And Nixie raises her hand again and says, "Also seconded." Stiles grins at her with a raised eyebrow, to which she says, "What? I'm the overprotective one. I'm allowed to lay claim on saving several people at once."

And then Isaac shrugs and says, "I just didn't feel like doing any homework." Nixie laughs a bit and then moves over to hug him. Squeezing him tight, she says, "By the way, I'm glad you're no longer possessed by an evil fox spirit." "Yeah, me too."

And then Nixie hugs Kira. Squeezing her shoulder, Nixie grins and says, "And as for you, consider this your official welcome into the pack. Now, let's go people. We've got places to be, people to save, and a Nogitsune to kill."

As they all walk into the encampment, rounding the corner of a crumbling wall, they find Noshiko already there, and all of her Oni with her. Narrowing her eyes at her daughter, Noshiko says, "Kira, turn around and go home. Take your friends with you."

But Kira shakes her head and says, "I can't. When I looked at the game you were forcing me to learn, I realized who I was actually playing. You."

While Scott and Stiles hurry off ahead of the others to find Lydia, Alison draws her bow and says, "Call them off?" Noshiko tilts her head and asks mockingly, "You think you could take him alive? You think you can save him?" Nixie twirls one of her daggers and says, "Is that a challenge? Consider it accepted." Kira nods, and counters her mother's question with, "What if we can?"

Noshiko shakes her head and says, "I tried something like that. Seventy years ago. Your friend is gone." Kira shakes her head and says, "He's not gone." "And how would you know?" "Because Nixie knows." Kira looks over at Nixie, who nods in confirmation, and then Kira says to her mother, "Nixie's always known. And she knows Stiles is still there and still has a chance. And I think you just don't want to admit that. Because if Stiles doesn't have to die, then maybe Rhys didn't have to die either."

Noshiko actually grins at her daughter and says, "I see I'm no longer the fox now Kira. You are. But the Nogitsune is still my demon to bury." As the Oni around her vanish into thin air, Nixie pulls her daggers more firmly into her hands. But Alison suddenly nudges her arm. Glancing at Alison, Nixie asks, "What?" "Go help them." "Alison… Scott and Stiles can handle…" "It's the Nogitsune, Nixie. And the Oni, if Lydia, Stiles, or Scott get in their way." "And what if they come back here?!" "Then Scott will have to hurry back to help us, which will leave Lydia and Stiles alone to protect themselves. They're going to need you. Go help them."

Nixie stares at her for a moment more, and then says, "Watch each other's backs. I'll be back along with them as soon as I can." And with that, she takes off into the building and down the twisting halls and tunnels.

It takes her a bit. Definitely longer than she'd like. But she finally meets Scott and Stiles, right as they run down the last stairwell to where Lydia was trapped behind the iron-grate door. Sighing in relief, seeing that she's, more or less, unharmed, Nixie says, "Thank God."

But it's short-lived. Because the first thing out of Lydia's mouth isn't 'thank you', and it isn't 'I knew you'd come'. First thing she says is, "No. No, no, no! Why are you here?" Stiles gapes at her and says in an obvious tone, "Lydia, we're here for you." "No! You weren't supposed to be here!" To Scott and Nixie, Lydia asks, "You didn't get my message?"

Both frown in confusion, and then Scott asks, "Lydia, what's happening?" "Who else is here? Who came with you?! Who else is here?!" Scott and Stiles stare at her in confusion, but at seeing the terror on Lydia's face, Nixie quickly rattles off, "Isaac, Kira, Noshiko, Alison." Snapping her gaze to Nixie, Lydia asks desperately, "Alison?!"

Nixie stares at her for a second, and then her eyes widen in horror as she whispers, "No." Lydia stares back at her and asks, "Why didn't you stay with her?" "She told me to come after you!" Spinning around, ready to sprint back, she pauses and then turns back. Grabbing hold of Stiles, she looks at Scott and says, "Go. Run. Get back to them. You're faster than me. Hurry!"

Scott sprints away as fast as he can, while Nixie stays behind, trying to haul Stiles and Lydia with her back out of the catacombs of this place. She figures they're about halfway there, when Stiles can't support any of his own weight anymore. He walks about two more steps, and then collapses against the wall beside them.

Nixie grabs his shirt front, prepared to drag him, but Lydia says, "No, go! I'll stay with him, but go!" Nixie leaves one of her daggers in Lydia's hands, and then turns around and sprints as fast as she can after Scott… towards her friends… towards Alison.

But it didn't matter. She ran faster than she ever had before. She twisted her ankle along the way, but never broke stride as she nearly ran into a wall trying to make the turn at too fast a pace. Her legs were burning, her lungs were on fire.

But when she got to the gate at the end of the tunnel… she was already too late. Alison was run through with one of the Oni swords. Scott was rushing towards her, trying to break her fall on the hard ground below.

Nixie could already see the blood making it's way to the ground, pooling on the pavement. She could see Alison's skin paling, her body shaking.

It was a much quicker death than the one Stiles seemed to be experiencing… but the signs were there, all the same.

And the Nogitsune would've let the Oni continue fighting the others… he would've gladly let it continue. But… something happened.

Noshiko, from where she is standing with Kira, feels the temperature around them suddenly plummet down at a rapid pace. Frost and ice begin forming on the surfaces of the walls and crates and objects around them. And as the Oni were preparing to fight again, preparing to continue their onslaught… all of them suddenly froze at the softly spoken, "No."

It was barely a whisper. If not for the fact that she was standing so close to the doorway Nixie was in, Noshiko wouldn't have heard it. But she did. And so did the Oni. As Nixie stepped out onto the pavement, making her way towards Alison and Scott, the Oni all shifted back from her. Beforehand, it was as though they were glad to be in her presence. They even gave her special chances and circumstances to appease her anger at them.

And now… now they edged away from her, as though terrified of the woman that they had now angered beyond all comprehension. Bottled anger; that was certain. But it was there. Any supernatural creature with a nose could tell that.

Seeing that his new Oni were done fighting for the day, even if he wasn't, the Nogitsune took his leave, letting all the chaos remain behind him, as a reminder of what he was capable of.

Scott holds Alison close to his warmer body, frantically running a hand over her, trying to do anything to help. But all Alison asks is, "Did you find her? Is she okay? Is Lydia safe?" Nixie bends down to her other side, looking her over while Scott answers, "Yeah. Yeah, she's okay."

Seeing Alison's hand pressed over her stomach, Nixie moves it aside so she can place her hands on the wound instead. She presses hard, knowing that blood loss will be the thing that kills her, not the pain.

But… a part of her already knows it's a lost cause. Because Lydia had already screamed Alison's name from in the tunnels. Lydia had felt this when it happened, had predicted it.

And banshees didn't predict pain or chaos. They predicted death.

Nixie still presses though, and Scott puts his hand over Alison's. But when no black lines start crawling up his hand, Nixie looks to him and asks, "Scott? Why aren't you…" "I… I can't. I can't take her pain."

And to Nixie's horror, Alison says gently, "That's because it doesn't hurt." Scott stares down at her face and says, "No." Then he turns to Nixie and asks, "Nix… you can… can't we…" "I've got pressure on the wound. But someone needs to call nine-one-one. Isaac!" He was already on the phone, but as he speaks to the man on the other end of the line, Alison grabs Nixie's wrist and says, "It's okay." "Alison, no it's not. This is not okay. You can't…"

Alison smiles gently up at her, and then says to both her and Scott, "It's okay. It is… It's okay. It's perfect." Shaking her head, Nixie says, "Alison, no it's…" "It is. It's perfect." Looking up at Scott, she says, "I'm in the arms of my first love. The first person I ever loved. The person I'll always love." Then she turns to Nixie and says, "I'm with my best friend. The first real friend I ever had. The person who showed me what a real friend looks like. My friend… who taught me so much.

Reaching up to touch Nixie's cheek, Alison says, "I love you, Nixie Haven. Be… be strong. For me. And for them. Don't break. I can't… I can't be the thing that breaks you." Then she looks over at Scott and says, "I love you. Scott. Scott McCall. Never… never stop trying to save people. Never." Shaking her head, Nixie says brokenly, "No. Alison, just stop talking. Okay. Just… just stop. We can… we can do something. We can fix this." Scott nods and says, "Don't. Please Alison. Don't."

But Alison suddenly looks at both of them in earnest and says, "My dad. You… you have to tell my dad. You have to tell him! Tell… tell him…"

She gasps for breath four more times… and then it ends in one slow exhale of breath. Nixie closes her eyes, attunes her hearing as sharply as she can, and listens for the last heartbeat of her dear friend. And then silence. Cold, empty, and dead silence.

Something inside of Nixie felt suddenly hollow. She'd felt something similar when Boyd had been killed, or when they'd discovered Erica was dead. But this…

This was worse. It was indescribably worse. It wasn't like her heart was breaking this time, and in need of time for repair. This time… it was like someone had reached in and was ripping her heart out of her chest.

But more than that even. It wasn't as if just her heart was being ripped out. It was as if everything was being taken. Like she was somehow becoming completely hollow and empty; at least of everything that made a person feel good and whole. It's as though Alison had been the thing inside of her that had filled her up with joy, happiness, drive… and it was suddenly all slipping away. And it didn't matter how tightly she pressed against the wound, or how much she wished for this to go away... to not be real.

It was. It was happening. Alison was gone. One of Nixie's people was gone. And the black hole that seems to have appeared in Nixie's chest... it feels all-consuming.

Silent tears were streaming down Nixie's face, but she made no sound. Scott was sobbing against Alison, kissing her forehead. Isaac had collapsed on the ground, wounded and heartbroken. Kira is standing with her mother, not nearly as heartbroken, but crying nonetheless. She hadn't been here long enough to know Alison the way they had. But she still hurt for the loss they were going through.

A bolt of lightning crashed across the sky, lighting up the world around them for a moment. And then the rain began to fall down around them. Nixie took a minute to look up at the sky, at the storm clouds that had suddenly gathered where there had once been a clear night sky.

Then she looks to her right, towards the entrance of this encampment… and she sees Chris. The man was leaning heavily against the nearby concrete wall. It appeared, at the moment, that it was taking everything he had in him to remain standing.

Nixie finally pulled her hands slowly away from Alison's body. She'd never stopped bleeding. And aside from the pool of blood that was on the ground, Nixie's hands and forearms had ended up covered in it. It was everywhere. In the lines of her palm. Stuck to the hair on her arms. Beneath her fingernails. Everywhere.

She looks back to Alison's face. So beautiful, even in death. So young. Too young. Why hadn't she stayed with Alison? Why had she agreed to go after Lydia behind Scott and Stiles?

Why did this night have to be the night? The night she finally chose wrong.

It takes her another minute to process all that she sees, all that's happened… and all that's going to happen. Then, she slowly rises to her feet.

Noshiko watches as Nixie makes her way slowly, but steadily over to where Chris is standing. Facing the man, waiting for him to look at her, she then says, "I… I tried to… I…"

She takes a moment to collect herself. Alison had asked her to be strong. For her and for their friends. And what they needed right now, wasn't to see Nixie crying and weeping. She couldn't fall apart on them… not when that's what the rest of them needed to be able to do. She had to keep it together. She had to keep them together… long enough to get through this.

Raising her eyes back to Chris, solidifying herself into the hardened rock she needed to be right now, Nixie asks in a quiet and monotone voice, "What… what do we do?"

He stares back at her for a moment, and then stands up straight with her. "Has anyone called nine-one-one?" "Isaac. I told him to." Chris nods and says, "We have maybe ten minutes then. We have to have the story straight. And we can't have everyone here. Who can remain to tell it? Who needs to leave?" Nixie answers, "Scott, me, Isaac, and Lydia can stay. Stiles, Kira, and Noshiko need to leave."

Chris nods and says, "Alright. You were all riding together. The car broke down. You called me first. There were two men. They wore masks. You think they had a knife. 'You think', is very key in that statement. You can't get specific. Stay vague. Something sharp and metallic. You think they had a knife. And if you get confused, or aren't sure what to say, you repeat the phrase 'it all happened so fast'."

Nixie nods, and then says, "Tell Scott. I'll tell Isaac." Chris nods and sets off to talk to Scott. The rain that was falling would help muddle whatever evidence the cops would try to get. At least that could be considered a good thing. Maybe.

Nixie told Isaac the story. She had him repeat it to her twice. Then she had him sit on an old tire nearby.

Kira watches as she then comes up to them. Looking only at Kira, Nixie says, "I need you to get Stiles and Lydia out of the tunnels. I need you to take Stiles, with you and your mom, in the jeep and get out of here. The rest of us are going to stay and deal with this." Kira nods, and then nods again when Nixie says, "And I need to borrow your jacket. They'll want to search mine when we get to the station. I can't be wearing this one."

Noshiko watches as Kira readily trades with Nixie, no hesitation whatsoever. She also watches Nixie carefully. The girl was clearly troubled and hurt… but she had also quickly hardened herself against the situation.

She takes a tentative step forward, and asks, "Is there anything I can do?"

Nixie freezes, and her entire body shakes for about two seconds. But then she stills again, and her soft and monotone voice simply says, "Get out. Just get out." There was no menace or heat behind the words. It was spoken softly, and in a straight forward manner.

Noshiko finds it, somehow, a far more terrifying sound then when Nixie had spoken to her before, in annoyance and frustration.

Nixie then kneels down by Alison's body again. She does feel a little bad about bloodying Kira's jacket… but someone was sure to notice that the sleeves weren't covered in blood, but her arms were. It had to be done. She pressed her hands to the wound again. Just long enough to make it seem reasonable. Then she stood up again and stepped away.

She blocks everything else out. She focuses her attention down a tunnel of necessity. Her tasks were simple. Be there for her friends. If necessary, remind them what to say. If they began to break down before getting out of the station, comfort them enough to keep it together, just a few minutes more.

And she was not allowed to fall apart herself. She had to be strong. She had to be their rock right now.

That was what they needed. And as she heard the sirens blaring in the distance, she determines that, that is what she will be.

It's what Alison would've wanted her to be.

* * *

Chapter 11. Not gonna lie, I had a hard time writing this chapter. I hate sad stories. I really do. And as I was working on this, going back through what happened in the show... it was hard not to cry again.

Chapter 12 should follow shortly. I hope you like what I've done with the story so far, and I hope you like what comes next.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 12: Episode 3x24

When they get to the station, Noah is careful to sit them down next to each other. They weren't put in their own private room, away from the rest of the world. He couldn't do that for them. But he could let them sit together outside of his office. Bending down in front of them, he asks, "Is there anything… anything I need to know, or anything I can do, to help with this?"

The other three shake their heads, but Nixie says softly, "Have Parrish conduct the interrogations." Noah looks over to her and asks, "Why?" "Because he'll be gentle. Also, I need to be in the room with each of them." "Nixie…" "I won't speak. I won't interrupt. I'm just emotional support. Nothing more. I swear it."

And since he can see just how broken up everyone is over this, he nods in agreement. Handing Parrish a notebook at his desk, Noah tasks him with the interviews, and one by one, they're sent into the sheriff's private office. Nixie stands by the closed doorway, a silent guardian, while Jordan asks his questions.

He was honestly worried that she'd suddenly give him a glaring look, as though one of the questions he was asking was out of line, unnecessary, or offensive to her. But she never did. The only move Nixie ever made, was to put a hand on her friends' shoulders if they suddenly found themselves stuttering, stammering, or on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

For Nixie's part… well, Jordan had never seen a victim of a violent crime so calm. Their friend was dead. Alison was gone. And here Nixie stood, no tears rolling down her face. No emotion whatsoever, really, except for when her friends needed to see it. When he asked her the questions, her voice wasn't broken. It was soft and sure. She gave her answers directly, and when she was done and he would ask more, she'd simply shake her head, say she didn't know, or that it had all happened too fast.

He ended with Isaac. Not that he really felt he needed to interview him at this point. All of their stories matched, with just a few small variances, and those were to be expected in incidents such as this. Gently, he asks, "Do you remember anything else? Isaac?" His entire body trembles… until Nixie puts a hand on his shoulder. Squeezing gently, she says, "It's alright Isaac." He nods, and then says shakily, "I'm sorry. It just happened so fast."

Noah puts a hand on his back too, and then nods to Jordan that they're finished. Isaac can't answer anymore, and they're not going to push him.

Outside the office, Chris is waiting by the door. Nixie had ordered him to do so. She'd had Scott and Lydia leave together, headed for Deaton right now. As far as Nixie was aware, Melissa hadn't been told about Alison yet, so comfort on that front would have to be found later. In any case, Nixie had Scott, Lydia, and Deaton as being altogether right now. Stiles was with Kira at the Yukimara's house. And while she still didn't like Noshiko, she knew that Kira would take care of Stiles and make sure nothing else happened to him for now.

And as for Isaac… Nixie was sending him with Chris. Both men were barely holding it together. Chris was good at compartmentalization, but Isaac was less so. And whether they knew it or not, they were going to comfort each other before the night was done. Nixie knew it.

Hugging Isaac tightly, same as she'd done the others, she nods to Chris and says, "Take him with you. Stay together."

After they've walked out the door, Nixie steps back into Noah's office. He and Jordan are going over the notes. Looking up, Noah says, "Have a seat if you like, Nixie." "I just wanted to ask if you needed anything else from me?" Noah shakes his head and says, "Go on home."

Nixie nods and steps back out. But when she reaches the door… she realizes that home doesn't sound like a very welcoming place. Her home, while Malia was there and would be nice to see, was vacant of anything worthwhile. There was no comfort to be found there. Stiles wasn't at his home. He was with the Yukimara's, and Nixie wasn't in a place where she was ready to see that woman again yet. Scott wasn't at his house either. He was with Lydia and Deaton… still trying to work out how to kill this damn Nogitsune. And Nixie wasn't prepared enough at this point, to continue thinking clearly enough to help on that front either.

Every one of her friends was taken care of. That had been the goal. That was the necessity. She'd held them together, she'd helped them through this, and she'd made sure that when they left, they had someone to go to, or something to do. A better plan would eventually need to be formed, and quicker rather than later… but for now, everyone that mattered to her had someone around them to help them through this, or a task to focus on so this grief wouldn't feel so crushing.

But in the process of doing so; in the process of ensuring that all her friends were being taken care of… she hadn't left anyone for herself. And at the time, it hadn't seemed necessary. She was the rock they'd needed, and she'd remained that way for them.

But they weren't here anymore. They didn't need her to be put together and strong anymore.

And as that realization hit, she could feel the hollowness returning. The vast hole that was suddenly left inside of her because of Alison's death.

Nixie turned around. Her bike was too far away at this point to get to it before she broke down. And even then, she'd have to drive it somewhere, and that was definitely a bad idea. She'd definitely crash it at this point.

Hurrying into the lounge room of the station, she closes the door she enters and locks it. Then she hurries to the one on the other side and locks it too. She moves to stand at the sink, leaning heavily against it, fighting to get at least some sort of grip on her emotions.

But as she leans against the sink, she sees her hands. The rain had washed some of the blood away… but blood tended to cling to things. There was still some under her nails. Splotches on her hands and arms as she rolled up the sleeves of the jacket she'd borrowed from Kira.

Cutting on the water, Nixie scrubs at her hands with the soap and scrubber. She rubs all the way up her forearms, trying to remove the blood stains that remain. But it won't all come off. She can feel her arms beginning to burn from all the rubbing. If she kept going, she'd rub the skin raw. But the blood was still clinging in some places.

Gasping in a breath, she grabs a towel and tries to pick it out from under her fingernails. Then she clutches her stomach, leaning forward over the sink. She feels sick. She feels like she might throw up. And she probably would've, if she'd eaten anything substantial over the past three days. But all the food she'd cooked had been for Malia mainly, with her only nibbling on it here and there.

She felt sick. She actually wanted to be sick… to throw up… anything to relieve what she was feeling inside. But there was nothing to come out of her, except a dry heave.

Gasping in earnest now, she tries to cut the water back on and wash her hands again, but her fingers can't grip the knobs anymore. Her hands are shaking too much. In fact, her entire body is shaking and trembling. Her knees shake so much that, after a moment, she can't stand. She collapses onto the ground against the cabinets that are under the sink.

The sob that leaves her lips is a broken, ugly, and heart-wrenching thing. And though she tries to cover her mouth… once it starts, there is no stopping it. Rocking back and forth on her knees, shaking hands grabbing either side of her head in agony, Nixie sits there on the floor, finally sobbing, mourning, and breaking down; as she hadn't allowed herself to do before.

Outside, Deputy Haigh walks past Parrish's desk with another officer. Glancing down at him, Haigh asks, "You finish the interviews?" "Yeah. Just a few minutes ago, actually." Haigh nods, and then says, "I heard about the Haven girl. How she just kind of stood there? Wasn't crying or nothing?" Jordan doesn't deny that, but says, "Some people compartmentalize better than others." Haigh rolls his eyes and says, "Well, I say the girl doesn't have a heart. I mean… her friend is dead. She should be upset, angry, or frustrated. She shouldn't be able to just stand there like nothing's wrong."

Jordan looks up at him and says, "She didn't stand there like nothing was wrong. She stood there like a friend, trying to help her other friends survive this process that they had to go through." "Parrish, people can't just do that." "You'd be surprised." "Whatever. She's heartless. That's my opinion."

Jordan doesn't know why he really feels so defensive of Nixie. He just knows that he definitely doens't agree with Haigh. He'd seen a lot of Nixie over the past few weeks. And if there was one thing he knew, it was that she cared. She cared a lot about her friends and the people that mattered to her. Still… he couldn't deny that he'd been expecting something more from her. Something aside from straight-forward answers and her desire to comfort her friends. He'd been expecting… well, something. He just couldn't figure out what.

From the back of the room, he hears Cordova shout, "Hey! Who's got the key to the lounge room this week? It's locked again. And whoever did it last week as a joke, needs to stop doing it." Jordan knows Haigh did it last week… but Haigh didn't have the key now. In fact, as Jordan thinks more on it… he's pretty sure Stilinski had the key himself this week.

As if on cue, Noah steps out of his office and asks, "What was that?" Jordan nods towards the lounge room and says, "Door's locked to the lounge room again." Noah frowns and says, "I didn't lock it. Whoever did it must've locked it from the inside." Jordan shrugs, but then stands up and says, "Here. I'll open it." "Thanks Parrish." He tosses Jordan the key and then steps back into his office, trying to figure out how he can help these kids get through Alison's passing.

Jordan is sticking the key in the lock, when he sees through the skinny pane of glass in the door. And inside, curled into a ball on the floor, is Nixie. Struggling with the keys now, he shouts, "Sheriff! You better get over here!" Stepping back out of his office, Noah asks, "What is it? Is it jammed… I can…"

But as Jordan opens the door, the sound of Nixie's sobbing finally reaches their ears. And that sound alone is enough to break Jordan's heart for her.

He knows what she was doing beforehand now. In hindsight, it should've been obvious. Her friends had needed her. Nixie always seemed to be doing whatever her friends needed her to do. And right then, they'd needed her strong. They'd needed something firm to lean on; to hold them up during all of this.

But now they were gone. And Nixie's statuesque appearance had crumbled away… all the way to the floor.

Jordan turns back to look at the others, but finds them all staring at her in disbelief. Even Noah, who is beside Jordan, is looking at her as though he's never seen her before. And as they watch her there, rocking back and forth on the floor… Jordan knows he can't just stay here and leave her alone. Shocking as it may be; someone had to do something.

Her sobs were devastated beyond anything he'd ever heard before. They were the kind that made a person feel like they couldn't breathe, until finally they managed to take in one gasping breath… and then the process just started all over again.

Nixie hadn't heard the door open, hadn't heard the commotion outside. She wasn't aware of anything, until suddenly there were hands on her. She jerked away from them initially, shocked by their presence and then almost not even wanting them to touch her. Looking at her hands again, she says, "No, no, no, no, no. I tried… I couldn't… she was… and I… and now I… now I can't get it off. I should've saved her. I should've protected her. I… I lost her. I lost her!"

Jordan puts his hands on her again, and when she pulls away again, he surges forward and wraps his arms around her tightly. Drawing her into his chest, he holds on as she struggles against him for a moment. He'd seen similar reactions like this from war victims when he'd been in the army.

Eventually, she stopped fighting him. He felt one hand land on his chest, while the other wrapped around behind his shoulders, seeking out more of the comfort he was willing to give. Sighing in relief, he moves one arm to slip beneath her knees, and then scoops her up off the floor. Cradling her close, he walks carefully to the door, and then says to Noah, "We need to get her a blanket. She's freezing." Noah nods, and then shakes himself back awake and orders one of the other officers to fetch one of the warming blankets.

Jordan carries Nixie to the couch that rests against the wall by the entrance, the one that sits next to where his desk is positioned. He tries to sit her down there, but she squeezes him tighter and begs, "Please. Just… please."

So he sits down with her. One hand at the back of her head, cradling it against his chest, he says, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Nixie doesn't answer him. In truth, she hadn't been aware it was him, until he'd spoken just then. All she knew was that, for whatever reason, he felt good. In a world where everything suddenly felt very wrong and off… he felt right and he felt good and he felt safe. He made her feel safe, which is what she was supposed to do for everyone else.

She's not sure how long they sit there. She knows that even when she decides she needs to let him go, it still hasn't been long enough. But she sits up anyway, and then wipes at her teary and tired eyes. Jordan watches her carefully for a moment, but after she seems to be relatively okay… at least, considering the circumstances, he stands up off the couch and grabs the blanket that Noah had left on his desk. Draping it over her shoulders, wrapping it around her, he says, "Stay here. Alright?"

She doesn't nod, but she doesn't argue either. Jordan leaves long enough to put together a cup of coffee. He's sure it's not what she'd prefer. Though Noah had told him the ingredients to the coffee Stiles made for her, he still had no idea how much of what was supposed to go in.

When he handed it to her though, it didn't appear to matter if it was right or not. She took it numbly, held it between her two hands, and then just continued to take small sips from it as she sat there.

Jordan eventually went back to work, as had the rest of the office. But he never kept his eyes off of her for very long. She never moved, except to sip her coffee, but he was worried that she may suddenly have another breakdown.

But oddly enough, at least in Nixie's opinion, she felt better. She was still sad… beyond belief sad. Tears still occasionally trailed down her cheeks as she thought of Alison.

But the hollowness. The vast emptiness that she'd felt punched inside of her at Alison's death… it felt smaller. It was still there. That feeling of immense loss. But… it was bearable now. She was hurt, but no longer crippled.

Alison hadn't wanted to be the thing to break her. Nixie nods to herself and says silently, "I promise Alison. I promise."

When her coffee is gone, she stands up, folds up the blanket, and prepares to leave. Jordan jumps up from his chair and says, "Nixie." She turns to him and asks, "Yeah?" "It's… it's awfully dark now, and the rain is still pouring down. Are you sure you want to leave?" Nixie nods and says, "Yeah. I have to. I have some people I need to see."

Jordan would like to stop her… but she seems stable now, and he's not her brother or anything like that. He can't make her stay. So instead, he sighs and says, "Drive safely. And be careful." She nods in response, and Jordan makes to return to his desk. He pauses though when she says, "Parrish?"

Turning back to her, an inquisitive look on his face, he stares at her in surprise when she says softly, "Thank you, Parrish." He watches her for a moment, and then comes back up to her. Gently cupping her face in one of his hands, he says, "Anytime, Nixie."

She smiles ever so slightly, and then nods a bit before sighing and walking out the door.

Of all the things he'd expected her to say to him, or to ask him, right then… 'Thank you' hadn't been it. People didn't remember to say 'thank you' when they'd experienced that much trauma. They might think it in their own heads, but most people, while still going through it, couldn't bring themselves to stay it. Couldn't bring themselves to be grateful for anything.

But Nixie had. Nixie was grateful for his small kindness. And it was small, in comparison to what she'd lost. But she appreciated it nonetheless, and had made sure to let him know.

She was… not something else. She was something special. A strong woman, with a heart of gold that stretched farther than any sea he'd ever seen. She was beautiful, inside and out.

And whether he liked it or not; whether she knew it or not… he was hooked.

Lord, help him.

* * *

Stiles was just getting off the phone with his dad, about to call Nixie and demand that she come to Kira's house to be with them. That's when a knock came on the front door. Ken went to answer it, Kira placing a hand on the hilt of her sword to be ready for an attack.

But when he opened it… it was just Nixie. She was soaked from the rain, but she didn't appear to mind it that much. She looks up at Ken for a moment, and as he steps aside for her, she walks in. Stiles sighs in relief and says, "Dad just called me. What the hell, Nix?" She shrugs and says, "I'm fine." "But you weren't. And you didn't tell…" By his side now, Nixie says, "You didn't need to know my problems right then. No one did. We needed to get through the cover up, so we could get back to focusing on the Nogitsune."

Nixie shrugs again and says, "So… I made it easier." Stiles just stares at her for a moment, and then huffs before reaching out to wrap her in a hug. Sighing, he says, "You're freezing." "You only think that because you're cold too. I'm the same as I usually am."

She leans back from him and forces him to take a seat. Then Nixie takes of Kira's jacket and says, "Thanks." Kira nods, and then hurries away, coming back with Nixie's leather one. Slipping it back on, hugging the material closely around her for a second, Nixie then asks, "So… what's the plan?" Stiles sighs and says, "We're not sure. We were actually just trying to discuss that. Then my dad called and said you had a complete nervous breakdown."

Nixie gives him a look and says, "It wasn't a nervous breakdown." "Then what would you call it?" "Overwhelming heartbreak." Stiles stares at her for a moment, not able to contest that. Then Nixie looks to Noshiko. The woman, for her part, has remained silent since Nixie arrived. She was not sure where they stood… or if Nixie still felt she couldn't be trusted.

Nixie stares at her so long that Stiles reaches for one of her hands and says, "Easy." Nixie glances to him, then back to Noshiko. Kira stands up and moves to Nixie's side. Not looking at her mother, she asks, "Can we trust her? At all?"

To everyone's surprise, Nixie answers gently, "Yes." Noshiko relaxes a little, but then nods in a sorrowful understanding when Nixie says, "But I do not forgive you. Not yet."

Then she looks to Stiles and asks, "What are we thinking? Plan?" Kira sits back down and says, "Alison killed one of them. An Oni. That has to mean something." Nixie concedes to that, and asks, "Do we know how?" Kira shakes her head, so Nixie says, "Next idea then."

Tilting her head, Kira asks, "Wouldn't that be helpful to know?" "Immensely. But we don't have the time or the resources to spend on figuring it out. Besides… it's not the Oni we want. It's the Nogitsune. Next plan."

Stiles runs a hand over his head and says, "We don't really have one. We're pretty sure we can't kill him. And since him staying alive means I die and he gets to continue wreaking havoc and chaos… I've hit a dead end."

Nixie tilts her head at him and asks, "Are you sure you're my Stiles? My Stiles doesn't usually give up so easily." "Very funny. You come up with something." "Trying." Noshiko leans forward then, and says, "He, the Nogitsune, made a very powerful move by splitting himself and Stiles." Nixie nods, and then looks to Kira, who asks, "So what's our move, mom?"

But it's Ken who answers, "At this point… you need a divine move." Stiles asks, "What's that?"

Noshiko smiles gently at her husband and says, "In the game of 'Go', it's what we call a truly inspired… or out of the box move. The Nogitsune has had sente, until this point." Stiles gives her a confused look and asks, "Sente?"

Nixie answers, "An advantage." To Nixie, Stiles asks, "And you just randomly know that because?" "One of my new best friend's is a fox. Her mom's a fox. And we're battling demonic Japanese ninjas and an ancient Japanese dark demon spirit." Shrugging, Nixie adds, "I've been reading. Sue me."

Glancing at the board on the table, where the game of 'Go' is set up, Nixie says, "Okay. So we need a divine move." Stiles nods and asks, "Anyone feeling divinely inspired?"

No one answers at first, but then Kira asks, "Mom? You said you trapped it in a glass jar before, right?" Raising an eyebrow, Nixie lets out a long breath of air before commenting, "If someone tells me that all we've needed this whole time is a stupid glass jar, I am going to punch something. Ken… you may want to move so we make sure it's the wall and not you."

Ken does step away a bit, but Stiles grins a little and says gently, "She wouldn't actually hit you. But she would be annoyed with having to move around you."

Nixie then looks to Noshiko and asks, "Well?" "No. The jar isn't what trapped it. It was the place that I buried it." Stiles and Nixie look at each other, and he sighs and says, "The Nemeton." Noshiko then adds, "A place I don't know too much about." Nixie sighs and says, "Lucky for you and the rest of us, we are becoming all too familiar with this damn stump."

Stiles nods and says, "And Deaton. Deaton knows more about it than anyone." Nodding, Nixie zips up her jacket and says, "Alright. Let's go bother the good doctor. Scott and Lydia should already be there, so that saves a bit of time as well." But Stiles runs his hands through his hair and says, "It won't matter though. The Nemeton… it won't have the same power that it did when Noshiko buried it. It was still standing then. It's… well, it's like you said. It's just a stump now."

Nodding and moving so she can pace, Nixie says, "But when you sacrificed yourselves to it, you gave power back to it." "Yeah, we did. But the Nogitsune… it's well over a thousand year old. What we did… it's not going to be good enough. I think we'd need the actual tree to trap it. Or… at the very least, we'd need to find another one to trap it in. And I don't think we'd be able to trap him in a jar long enough to transport him to any other one, if we could even find another one to begin with."

As he continues rattling on about the issues with this plan, Nixie suddenly stops in her walk. Noshiko watches as she nods to something Stiles just said, still listening to him intently, but also working on getting out her phone. She hits a speed dial, and then after a few rings, Stiles stops talking as Nixie says, "Hey Derek. It's Nixie. We're the box your mother's claws were in?"

Derek, from inside his loft with the twins, says, "Here, in the loft. I found the twins, by the way." "Are they alright?" "Worse for wear, but they'll heal." "Good. You have the box?" "Yeah. Why?" "I need it."

Kira tilts her head at Nixie, but as Nixie puts the phone on speaker and bends down to the table, they hear Derek say, "You can have it… but why do you need it?" "It's made from the Nemeton, right?" "Yeah. What's that got to do with…" Nixie picks up one of the empty tea cups on the table. Twirling it in her fingers, she places it over one of the white 'Go' pieces. Then she says, "We're going to destroy the Nogitsune's human vessel. And then we're going to trap him in the box made from the bark of the Nemeton."

And no one argues when she adds, "And we're going to bury him in a hole so far in the fucking ground, archeologists will never discover the damn thing." From the other end, Derek says, "I'll get on it. Where should we meet you?" "I'm heading to see Scott in a bit. I'll let you know once we have a more defined plan." "Alright."

From within his loft, everyone can hear as one of the twins ask, "Hey, is that Nixie? Is she still pissed?"

Derek doesn't even answer them. He just holds the phone towards them so they can hear Nixie's reply of, "You have no idea."

* * *

As they're speeding down the road towards the clinic, Stiles honks the horn from behind Nixie. Pulling over, she asks, "What?" "Listen…"

He turns up the volume on the radio in his jeep, and they hear the frantic chatter coming over it from the station. _"Be advised, there are intruders at the station. They're… they're assassins. Ninjas… Hell, I don't know. But we need backup! Shit!"_

Stiles looks to Nixie and asks, "What do we do?" "You and Kira get to Scott. I'll head to the station." "Nixie… if they Oni are there…" But Nixie lowers the mask of her helmet again and says, "Don't worry Stiles."

And as she drives faster up the road, she says to herself, "I have a feeling that, for some reason, they still don't really want to fight me."

* * *

When Jordan had first seen the ninja standing behind a fellow deputy in the station… he honestly hadn't believed it. Agent McCall may not have given an exact description of these guys, but it wasn't hard to figure out that this was definitely who he'd been referring to.

Noah had just been telling him that they needed to keep Alison's murder quiet for as long as possible. When wind of it got out, the press would dive right onto those kids, and that wasn't what any of them needed right now.

Jordan had actually been about to laugh as Noah commented with a sigh, "And heaven help the bastard stupid enough to try and ask Nixie questions. I'm gonna have to post bail for her when she ends up putting them in the hospital."

That's when the ninja appeared, and Noah watched as Jordan reached for his gun, bringing it up and preparing to fire. As the samurai sword had sliced up the back of a fellow officer, he'd immediately began firing, and the rest of the office followed suit as the masked ninja made as though to begin exploring the rest of the office.

As many bullets that had gone flying, it wasn't a surprise when the ninja finally went down. It should've gone down a lot sooner. Hell, it should be dead.

As the sheriff peeks around the corner to see it, Jordan makes to stand up from where he'd crouched behind his desk for cover. But Noah motions for him to stay put, so Jordan reluctantly goes back down.

Then the ninja snaps back to his feet, like the Scorpion King did at the end of that movie. He flipped himself upright. And as Noah leaned back and prepared to fire, Jordan watched as another one came from seemingly nowhere, approaching the sheriff from behind. "Sheriff!"

Jordan's warning comes just in time. Noah is just quick enough to duck out of the way of the oncoming sword, and as the rest of the office begins firing again, he stumbles into another desk before joining them in trying to take down these masked men. These Oni, as he remembers Nixie and Stiles calling them.

One by one, other officers fall to the ground, some fatally wounded and bleeding out. Others not so fatally wounded… but the poisonous black smoke that seems to seep out of their wounds weakens them to the point where they can barely move.

Jordan is shifting back in the room, using each desk he comes across as cover. He's already emptied three clips into these guys… and they just keep on coming. He's moving on to his fourth, preparing to fire again, when Noah comes up from behind him and says, "You're going to need a bigger gun."

As Noah blasts the ninja in the chest with his shotgun, sending it sliding backward in the room, Jordan follows after the sheriff to cover him as he continues forward. The other one then approaches from the side, and Jordan fires upon him in a fray of sparks and bullets. But the damn thing just keeps coming.

Noah pushes him aside, trying to get a shot off… but that just ends up getting him sliced in the arm when he raises up to block the blow of the sword. Jordan grips Noah by the back of his shirt and drags him back behind him, continuing to fire upon the ninja.

It uses it's sword to block every single bullet. It literally doesn't matter how close the ninja gets… he always manages to stop the bullets.

Then he slices into the side of Jordan's stomach, and shoves him down and across the room.

There's blood everywhere, and empty shell casings are scattered on every surface. Jordan, in spite of the weariness he feels from the wound on his side, forces himself to move back to where Noah had been.

The man levels his gun at Jordan's head when he arrives, but then lowers it as Jordan slouches against the desk as his back, facing Noah. Wincing, Noah asks, "What happened?" Jordan shakes his head and says, "I'm not sure. I don't see them anymore. But…"

As he speaks, he sees one round the corner closest to the sheriff. "Sheriff!"

Noah looks up to see the ninja… sword raised and preparing to slice down and cut him open… maybe even kill him. And though he would fight, Noah doesn't have anything left to defend himself with, except his pistol, which apparently won't come even close to working on these guys.

The blade is coming down through the air, when a voice from the doorway shouts, "Hey!"

Noah immediately jerks his head around and says, "Nixie! Get the hell out of here!"

But instead, Jordan's eyes widen as he watches Nixie leap over the desk, over Noah's head, and come flying at the ninja. The kick to the chest sends the paused ninja back into a file cabinet, where it then spins it's sword in the air to show it is ready to fight again.

And Jordan is surprised again when two daggers suddenly find their way into Nixie's hands. Twirling them expertly, crouched low between both Noah and Jordan, Nixie hisses between her teeth before saying, "You want them? Then come and try to take them."

Most of the other officers in the building are knocked out, or in another portion of the station. Meaning it was just Noah and Jordan that got to watch Nixie and the ninja go at it. Jordan's gun was empty, though he made to raise it anyway to try and help if he could. Noah had his pointed at the ninja too, ready to take a shot if it presented itself. But… after a few minutes, he let his hand drop and watched in awe as Nixie moved.

The other Oni in the room was making his way towards them, when Nixie finally did something no one else had. A quick spin, a flick of her wrists, and some rather fancy footwork later… she stole the Oni's sword from his hands. Putting her daggers away, twirling the sword in her hand, she faced the other one, prepared to take him on if he meant to interrupt the current fight she was in.

But both Oni pause, staring at her for a long while. Then both take a step back. And Nixie honestly wants to run at least one of them through… except that it looks like it's taking an exceptional amount of effort for them to leave without doing more damage.

They belonged to the Nogitsune now. They were his to command and control. But for her, and for the great feat she'd just accomplished… they were doing everything they could to break rank and leave without spilling anymore blood.

Finally, after a great deal more effort, they vanish back into the shadows. Nixie tosses the sword away in disgust, watching as it too, vanishes into black smoke. Then she dives back down to where Noah and Jordan are. Checking Noah over, she asks, "Are you alright?" Noah nods and asks, "What happened?" "Hell if I know. They left though, which is good enough for me right now."

Jordan winces as he sits up straighter, and as he checks the wound on his side, he asks, "Why'd they leave and let us live though?" Noah looks to Nixie at that and says, "My guess? Courtesy for a worthy opponent." Nixie gives him a look, and as she checks him further and sees the wound on his arm leaking black and poisonous smoke, she runs a hand through her hair and says, "And I'm not so sure they're letting you live. They just didn't kill you as fast as maybe they had originally planned."

Noah nods, and then whispers to her, "Giving you time to fix it." Nixie looks at him for a long moment, and then turns to look at Jordan. Frowning deeply, she moves closer to his side, and then looks around her for a moment. When she can't find anything she considers good enough to press against his wound, she takes one of her daggers and tears off a chunk of her shirt.

Folding it and slipping it past his torn uniform, she presses it to his side and says, "Keep pressure on it." Jordan nods, and then grins a little and says, "And yet, no one is allowed to call you a compact-ninja? Shame. It seems to suit you." Nixie raises an eyebrow and asks, "You think now is an appropriate time to start cracking jokes?" "Well, if I die, I might not get to later."

Nixie grips his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. Sternly, she says, "Do. Not. Die. I will be pissed." Jordan stares at her for a long moment, into those piercing and yet no less beautiful eyes. Then he nods and says, "I'll certainly do my best." "Good." Then she turns to Noah and adds, "And that goes for you too." Chuckling, Noah says, "Yes ma'am."

Then Nixie's phone rings, and upon seeing Stiles on the caller ID, Nixie answers, "Hello. This is the Haven hotline. To which department may I direct your call?" "How about away from the sarcasm department." "I'm sorry, but every department has a designated staff member specifically devoted to sarcasm. Deal with it."

Stiles can't help chuckling on the other end, and then says, "Derek's going to meet us at the school with the triskele box. You coming?" "Like you really need to ask. By the way, the department you're looking for on this one is 'Get Your Ass Here Now'." "Really? I thought it was called the 'Breaking Sound Barrier on my Motorcycle' department."

Nixie pauses, and then says, "You're right. I like yours better. I'll see you there." "Alright."

Hanging up, Nixie points to Jordan and says, "Keep pressure on that. Don't die." Then she moves to Noah. Kissing his forehead, she says, "I have to go." "Nixie… please be careful." "As careful as I can be."

Jordan waits for Nixie to be out the door and driving away before he asks, "Where the hell did she learn to fight like that?" Noah chuckles and says, "Oh… trying to explain why Nixie knows half of what she knows is going to take a much longer conversation then I have the energy for. But, bottom line, at the end of the day? She can fight like that so she can do her very best to protect the people that matter to her."

Jordan applies more pressure to his wound, and as he cringes a little, he says, "Well, someone should tell Haigh he was wrong." "About what?"

"About Nixie not having a heart. I don't think I've ever seen anyone who has more heart in my whole life."

* * *

As Scott, Stiles, Lydia, and Kira are preparing to enter the school, Stiles stops them by saying, "Scott… hold on a second."

He was growing weaker and weaker by the second. It was like the Nogitsune, which was in his doppelganger body, was slowly still sucking the life out of him. Pausing to catch a breath, Stiles continues, "I know what you're all thinking. That if this works… it might kill me too."

Meeting Scott's gaze with his own determined one, weak as he might be, Stiles says, "But even if it does… you have to go through with it. Just… stick with the plan. Okay?"

Scott nods a little, but says with a slight smile, "The plan is to save you. That's the plan I'm going with."

And his smile widens when Nixie says from behind Stiles, "And a grand plan it is too, my dear Scott." Coming up on Stiles' other side, Nixie looks to Lydia and asks, "You doing alright?" Lydia was the one supporting Stiles' weight. And in spite of the fact that she was probably a little tired from having to help him so much, Lydia nods and says, "Ready to go." Nixie nods back, and then looks to Stiles when he asks, "You love this plan? You don't even know the full plan anymore."

Nixie tilts her head at him and says, "The plan is to save you. It's simple, to the point… what's not to love about it?" To Scott, she asks, "Derek?" "He's on his way. They'll be here." "Awesome. So… are we going in? Or are we gonna stand here twiddling our thumbs until they get here."

Scott grins, and then says, "Let's go."

But as the doors open and they step inside… well, it definitely does not look like the Beacon Hills high school hallway. It looks like some fancy backyard garden and relaxation area… except it's apparently winter time here.

Notably, the fact that it appears to be snowing inside of the school is a sure sign that the Nogitsune is definitely pulling some weird trick on them. And as the doors behind them creak and then slam shut, Nixie turns back to them and says, "Right. Because that's not ominous at all."

Stiles huffs and says, "This was definitely not part of the plan." But he cracks a small smile when Nixie says, "But that is what improvisation is for. And if I recall… we are experts at this. Or, you know… we're getting close."

As they venture further into the place, Nixie can't deny that… if she wasn't aware that they were being tricked by a trickster, this place would actually look peaceful and pretty. But… it was a trick. And therefore, Nixie decided she hated it.

Then the figure that they'd seen in Stiles' mind, the one wrapped in bandages that had been on the other side of the 'Go' board game, comes awkwardly walking into view. And you didn't need to be able to see the thing's eyes to know it was glaring at them. Reaching a hand out towards them, it says in a growly voice, "Just like we promised Stiles. We're going to kill all of them. One by one!"

Nixie tilts her head, and even as one of the ninjas appear and clashes his sword against Kira's, Nixie replies, "Didn't anyone ever teach you to not make promises you can't keep?" Scott puts a hand on her shoulder, a silent way of asking her to tone down the sarcasm, just a little bit. Then he asks, "What the hell is this? Where are we?"

The Nogitsune answers, "Between life and death." Stiles, in spite of how weak he felt, had put himself in front of Lydia protectively when the Nogitsune had appeared. But she was at his side again, an arm wrapped around him in support, as she says in realization, "Bardo." The Nogitsune chuckles and says, "But there are no peaceful deities here, Lydia."

Then he looks to Stiles and says, "You're dying Stiles. And now everyone you care about is dying too!" Stiles tenses in fear and asks, "What? What do you mean?" "I've captured almost all of the territories on the board, Stiles. The hospital. The sheriff's station. And now… the animal clinic."

Nixie watches as Stiles' fist clenches in his frustration. The Nogitsune chuckles and says, "And your father is already dead. I had my new minions take extra special care of…"

Stiles was this close to trying to charge him, in spite of the fact that he'd most likely collapse before he even got to the Nogitsune. But… then Nixie gripped his shoulder tight. In his ear, she whispers, "Your dad is fine. I took care of that. Focus. Figure out how we beat him at his own game. We beat him, and we win. Focus, Stiles. Focus for me."

He nods slightly, and then turns back to the Nogitsune when it asks, "Do you know the ritual of seppuku, Stiles?" Stiles glares and says, "No, and I don't want to." The Nogitsune tells him anyway, "It's when a samurai disembowels himself with his own sword to maintain his honor."

Almost hissing now, it adds, "But that's not the cut that kills him. The killing strike is made by his kaishakunin, who beheads the samurai with his own katana." Then the Nogitsune points and says wickedly, "Scott. Scott, is your kaishakunin." Laughing, it adds, "I'm going to make your best friend kill you, Stiles. And you're going to let him. Because just like you, they're all going to die. Everyone touched by an Oni blade. Unless… Scott kills you first."

Stiles stares at him hard, and then asks shakily, "Why? Why are you doing this?" The Nogitsune grins and says, "To win the game."

As all of the Oni in the room swiftly swing their swords into position, ready to fight, Stiles turns to Scott, as though telling him it's alright… he can do what's necessary.

And Scott, in spite of everything, manages a smile when Nixie slaps Stiles in the back of the head. Not nearly as hard as usual… but she still did it. Giving her a look, Stiles asks, "Really?!" "Yes. You're an idiot." Then she looks to the Nogitsune and says, "Your plan is all well and good, I suppose. You did forget something though." He tilts his head at her, and then even takes a step back when she glares at him and says, "Even if Scott does decide to kill him… he has to go through me first. And I am more pissed off, than I have ever been. Even your Oni aren't going to get through me."

Pointing at him, eyes piercing right through him, Nixie says, "Before this night is finished, you will lose this game. That's a promise." Then she lowers two of her daggers into her hands. Kira readies herself, along with Scott, and as the Oni step forward, Nixie takes a deep breath and says, "Alright. Game on."

But as the fight rages on all around them… Nixie and the others still can't quite figure out how they're even in Bardo in the first place. And as it continues, they begin to tire, while the Oni seem to have endless bouts of energy and strength.

When one of them finally manages to make Kira lose her grip on her sword, Nixie pulls out another dagger from within her jacket. Tossing it and sliding in on the ground, she shouts, "Kira!" Kira rolls on the ground and scoops it up. It wasn't her sword… but at least it was something she could use until she got her sword back.

But then, everything pauses as Stiles grabs the sword, holding it in front of himself, turning it so that the blade was positioned in front of his stomach.

Son of a bitch. Stiles was actually considering impaling himself on Kira's katana. Damn it!

Scott shouts, "Stiles, no!" But Stiles just asks in return, "What if it saves you? What if it saves everyone?" Lydia, who was off beside Stiles, shouts frantically, "And what if it's just another trick?"

The Nogitsune chuckles and says, "No more tricks, Lydia. End it Scott. Let him go, Nixie. Let your friend fall on his own sword. Do for him what he cannot do for himself. Do it, Scott! Be his kaishakunin!"

While everything and everybody else is paused, Nixie finally just moves. The Oni twist their heads to look at her… but none of them make to go after her. Marching herself up to Stiles, Nixie says through her teeth, "No. If you don't put the damn thing down, so help me God, I will make you wish you were dead."

Stiles gives her a look, clearly saying that he knew she wouldn't do that to him. Then he nods his head back and to the side, motioning for her to look at something behind him.

What she finds there… is a desk. Which, you know, for Beacon Hills high school… isn't all that strange. But… for a place like Bardo, which was a place supposedly filled with deities, in between life and death… yeah, the desk was a little out of place.

Back to Stiles, Nixie asks, "What are you thinking?" Stiles grins a little and says, "It is a trick. One final trick. To make us give up. To make us surrender. Because he knows… that's the only way he can really win the game. If we give up." Nixie nods, and then glances back when the Nogitsune says, "Do it, Scott! You have no moves left!"

But as Nixie turns back to Stiles, he says, "Yeah… yeah we do." Nixie nods and smirks a little before saying, "A divine move. And I must say… well played, my dear Stiles." Stiles hands the sword to Nixie, who then tosses it to Kira. But when Kira sees Nixie putting her own daggers away, she sheathes her sword and listens while Stiles explains, "Guys. Stop fighting them. It's all an illusion. You have to stop fighting them. It looks real, and it feels real. But Scott… you gotta trust me, it's an illusion."

Scott stares at him for a moment, and then glances over at Nixie. She's already stowed away her daggers. Shrugging, she says, "Honestly, it probably should've hit us sooner. I mean… renovating the school would be one thing. But putting all of this in here… yeah, we probably should've figured this out from the start. And I do apologize. I'm ashamed it took me so long."

Scott relaxes himself, and then turns towards the Nogitsune and says, "Just stay behind me. Let's go."

The Oni cut and slice into Scott as he moves forward. They do the same to Kira, who is right behind him. But they struggle and fight when Nixie moves to come up next. Rolling her eyes, she says, "I know it's not real. I'll be fine when I get past. But if you touch the two people behind me… I will find a way to kill you. All of you."

And so the blades begin cutting into her skin as well… but Lydia and Stiles remain untouched. As they move forward, Lydia wonders aloud, "Why are they listening to her?" Stiles shrugs, but then says plainly, "It's Nixie. Do I really need to say anything else?" "No, I guess not."

And when Scott rushes forward, shoving the Nogitsune in front of him, through the doors that had closed when they'd first entered… he suddenly finds himself in the hallway at school. Everyone else does too, and as Nixie glances around them, she makes a thoughtful noise in her throat and says, "Awesome."

Scott chuckles in relief, looking himself over and then Kira and Nixie too. And while they had all been covered in slashes and blood just a second ago, they were all completely fine now. Sighing, he says, "We're okay! We're…"

And then he's suddenly picked up and thrown into the lockers nearby. Kira follows shortly after as the Nogitsune, in the body that looks just like Stiles, backhands her across the face hard enough to knock her into the wall beside her.

Then he lifts his gaze to Nixie. Glaring at her, he says, "This was my game. You think you can beat me at my game?" Nixie shrugs and says, "Sure seems to be working right now."

And that's when he shoves a hand forward, pushing harshly against her chest, and shoving her to the floor and then halfway down the hall. Groaning, Nixie says, "Noted. When facing a Nogitsune, the sarcasm should definitely be left at a minimum."

As she struggles to her feet, Stiles and Lydia quickly begin backing up the hall towards her as the Nogitsune stalks towards them. Anger flaring in his eyes, he yells, "Divine move. Divine move?! You think you have any moves at all?! You can maybe kill the Oni! But me?! I'm a thousand years old! YOU CAN'T KILL ME!"

When Stiles and Lydia finally reach her, Nixie slides herself in front of them. Still crouched low, with two daggers at hand again, she glares up at the Nogitsune, daring him to come any closer. Bending down to look at her, he says through his teeth, "And strong as you are, and as strong as you surely will be when the time comes… not even you can kill me."

Nixie isn't sure what he means about how strong she'll be in the future. But that doesn't matter. Still glaring up at him, she says, "I may not have been present to make up this entire plan. But I am aware of the most crucial element. And that is the fact that… we didn't plan on killing you. We didn't even plan on hurting you… at least in my opinion."

Standing up straighter, she says, "We plan to change you." Tilting his head, the Nogitsune asks, "What?" Stiles comes up closer behind her and says, "You forgot about the scroll." And Lydia adds, "The shugendo scroll."

The Nogitsune looks confused for all of a second, but then they can see terror finally enter his gaze as he whispers in fear, "Change the host." Nodding, Stiles says, "You can't be a fox and a wolf." And Nixie smirks and says, "Damn straight. Scott? If you'd please be so kind…"

And before the Nogitsune can do anything, or even say anything else, Scott latches onto his shoulder with his claws, and then sinks his teeth deeply into the Nogitsune's bicep. The trickster fox screams in horror at what's happening, but is powerless to stop it. Nixie backs up a step, pulling Stiles and Lydia with her, as the Nogitsune drops to its knees and begins thrashing around spastically and uncontrollably.

The fly that suddenly came out of his mouth was not what Nixie had been expecting. But, then again… he had possessed four werewolves at some point by using flies. She shouldn't be so surprised. As it begins trying to fly away up the hall though, Nixie frowns and asks, "Where's the box? Where's Derek?"

And that's when Isaac rounds the corner. Nixie smiles and says, "Hey!" He lifts the box in his hand and asks, "Where is it?" "Flying towards you." He spots the fly, and quickly slams the lid down on the box, trapping the fly inside.

Sighing in relief, Nixie then turns back to watch the doppelganger body continue to thrash and writhe for a bit. Then he pauses, and Nixie stares as the entire body hardens into something like a clay type of texture, cracking and splitting in parts, as though it had suddenly grown ancient and hadn't been properly cared for. And as he collapses on the ground, he shatters and disintegrates into dust.

And then Stiles is falling. Nixie feels the hand he'd put on her shoulder slip a bit, so she turns and then moves swiftly to catch him before he can slam his head down on the floor. Lowering him gently, Nixie says, "Scott, get over here!"

He rushes to help her, and then as they lay him down, Nixie puts her ear against his chest.

He still has a heartbeat, and in fact, it appears to be growing stronger by the second. Sighing in relief, Nixie runs a hand over his hair and says, "I'm pretty sure he's just passed out. Scott? Can you…" Scott nods and says, "He seems to be improving. I can hear his pulse rising back to normal, and he doesn't smell like death anymore." Nodding, Nixie says, "Good. Because I'm sure that scent is disgusting." "Oh, you have no idea Nixie."

She laughs at him, and then takes the coat Scott hands her to put under Stiles head. He wakes up shortly after that, which has everyone sighing in relief again. Sure, they believed he was getting better now… but it was nice to have it confirmed. Eyes still rimmed with red, but otherwise looking increasingly better, Stiles looks around at all of them above him. Then he says, "Oh God. I fainted, didn't I?"

As they all laugh a bit in relief, Nixie says, "Yeah, you did. Rather inconvenient timing Stiles. Geez." He grins up at her, and then stares up at the ceiling in disbelief before saying, "And… we're alive. Are we all alive?" Scott nods and says, "Yeah. We're okay."

But even as Nixie nods in agreement, she looks over to watch as Lydia suddenly rises to her feet. Standing with her, Nixie asks, "Lydia?" Lydia just stares down the hall for a second, almost with a wondering gaze. Then she takes off running in her heels.

Nixie keeps pace with her, not knowing what to expect at this point. The Nogitsune was dead. What the hell else could be going wrong at this point?

But when they get outside… Nixie frowns and sighs in regret. Because down below, where another battle had taken place… Derek, Ethan, and Chris are standing around Aiden's body. Aiden, who had died fighting for them, fighting to help them defeat this demonic trickster spirit. She didn't feel quite as much pain as she did when Alison had died. Aiden had become one of the good guys, that was for sure. But he hadn't been hers. Not like the others were.

Lydia turns sharply and runs into Nixie's arms. Nixie cradles her head gently, and says, "I'm sorry Lydia. I'm so sorry." Lydia just cries silently in her arms. As the others come out to see what happened, they all stand there in silence, not knowing what to say. Even in this victory that they'd finally won, they couldn't seem to completely rejoice. Not yet, anyway.

Nixie glances over at Stiles, and then nods for him to come closer. She then gently maneuvers Lydia into his arms instead, where he holds her closer while she cries. Then Nixie says to all of them, "Go home. I'll help with what needs to be done here. Everyone else go home or go check on the hospital and the sheriff's station. Go."

When Ethan feels her hand on his shoulder, he looks up at her and says brokenly, "He… he was… a good guy. He was a…" Nixie hushes him gently and says, "I know. I know it Ethan." Bending down to hug him, she says, "And I'll never forget it. I promise."

Then she moves away to let him mourn for a while longer. Coming over to Chris, Nixie asks, "How are you holding up?" Chris watches her for a moment, and then sighs and says, "Probably about as good as you are." Opening his arm, he reaches out for her, and smiles gently when she walks into his embrace. Sighing and even shaking against him, Nixie asks, "Are you gonna leave us now too?"

He kisses the top of her head and says, "I need to leave. For a little while, at least. But I'll never be so far away that I can't come back when you need me, Nixie. I'll only ever be a phone call away." Nodding, Nixie says, "Wherever you decide go… take Isaac with you. I'm gonna miss him… but it'll mean a lot to him, coming with you. So please…" "I will take care of him, Nixie. I promise."

Nodding, Nixie takes in a shaky breath and says, "I miss her already. So much." "I know… I know."

* * *

It was about a week later when Kira was talking to Lydia in the hall. Sighing, she says, "I wish I could say something to him. I wish I could say something to all of them. But… I don't know how much space or how much time I'm supposed to give them. I'm still… just the new girl at school."

Lydia turns to her and says, "You're not just the new girl. You're the new girl that instantly became Nixie's friend. That's hard to do. Rare doesn't even begin to describe it." Smiling gently, she adds, "It's not space that anyone needs. It's time. Just… time."

And then Kira relaxes a little when Nixie walks up to them and says, "I'd listen to her if I were you. She's a proven academic genius." Smiling at Kira, Nixie says, "We'll heal, in time, Kira. We may never be the same. In fact… I hope we're never the same without her. But… all scars heal. It's just a matter of time."

Kira nods, and then they look to Lydia when she says, "Besides. You're not going to be the 'new' girl much longer."

And that's when Coach leads Malia down the hall, talking to her about maybe running track, and about the other classes she's going to need to be taking, based on the tests she took to qualify for high school. Coach then pauses and asks, "By the way, how did you prepare for those tests? So many people were sure you'd have to start out in a lower grade because you hadn't gone to any school, past some elementary grades, at least. So how…"

Malia looks towards the three girls, and then smiles and says, "Hey Nixie." Nixie waves back, "What's up Malia?" Coach looks between the two, and then says, "Right. Nixie's in your corner. You could probably pass calculus if you wanted to at this point. Alright, come on. And as far as the rest of things go… don't worry, you'll learn fast."

Malia smirks and says, "I intend to."

After she's gone, Lydia shuts her locker and asks, "Anyone want to go grab a bite to eat while working on homework?" Kira nods, but Nixie says, "I'm actually going to the station today. I'm taking Noah a bit of something to eat, and I'll probably just hang out and do my homework there today. But if you still want to tomorrow, I'm game."

Both girls nod at that, but then Lydia asks, "Why staying so long at the station?" Nixie shrugs and says, "Just… feel like it today. No real reason. Well, and maybe to keep an eye on Noah for a bit. He was nearly killed by an Oni, after all."

Lydia nods with a slight smile and says, "Yeah, okay. Come by later though? I need help with my English paper." "Just be sure to have Reeses stocked at your house when I get there. We are gonna knock this paper out of the park!"

And as Nixie is walking away, Lydia smirks to herself knowingly. Nixie may or may not really understand why she wanted to spend even more time at the station than usual. She may or may not be ready to admit or own up to what her heart was telling her. And maybe she really didn't understand it… because Nixie probably hadn't ever felt this way before… about anyone or anything.

But Lydia knew. Nixie was falling for the sheriff's deputy. She was falling for Jordan Parrish. And if Nixie liked him enough to be falling for him this fast… well, the deputy must have some pretty amazing stuff inside of him.

And in Lydia's opinion, given all that Nixie always tried to do for all of them… she deserved it. She deserved to find someone that she loved that much, and who would love her in return. She deserved to love and to be loved in kind.

More importantly, the person who had a hold of Nixie's heart, needed to understand just how precious of a thing it was to have. And if Lydia has her way, Jordan Parrish will understand that. If she has to paint him a picture and spell it out for him in big block letters, she will to make him understand just how amazing it is to have Nixie care for him in any respect, but particularly in the matter of her being in love with him.

But Lydia doesn't think she'll need to do that. Jordan, according to Nixie, is the best deputy at the station. He's pretty smart. He'll figure it out.

* * *

Nixie was sitting on the couch, reading her history textbook, trying to memorize all the facts that would be on the test she was going to take tomorrow. Jordan was at his desk now, occasionally looking over at her.

Aside from thanking her for helping to protect Noah and himself that night, he hadn't approached the subject of understanding how she'd known how to fight ninjas. In all honesty, it didn't quite feel like it was his place to bug her about it. Not yet, anyway.

But what he did think was his business… what he made sure was his business… was to make sure that she knew that what she'd done for them wasn't small. When she'd come back that night and he'd thanked her, she'd simply shrugged and told him it was nothing.

He understands better now, even just a week later, that in Nixie's mind, protecting them and trying to save them was, basically, not a big deal for her. It wasn't some great feat to be admired or wondered about. It was simple fact. They were in danger, so Nixie was going to try and help save them. And to her, that was it. It wasn't some complicated thought process, or her wanting something in return. It was simple, and as straightforward as an arrow.

But, even as he understands that… he feels she needs to understand that what she'd done; what she was always willing to do apparently… it mattered. It mattered a great deal. It was probably why so many people were afraid of pissing her off, or of doing anything harmful to people that mattered to her. Only stupid people, complete idiots, like deputy Haigh, didn't worry about offending her. The rest of the population however… they saw her for what she was.

A woman who would brave hell itself, if that's what it took to try and save the people that mattered to her. And it made people try to avoid angering her. It made them want to be the type of person that would matter to her someday. Because, even if they don't know it… everyone wants a person like that. Someone who would die for you, quite literally, if they could, in order to save you.

Nixie had failed with Alison. That's why it had broken her down so badly that night. But she had succeeded with Noah and himself. And though Jordan knows she doesn't see it in that same light… he does. And he always will.

Stiles comes in later, like clockwork. He reaches over to squeeze Nixie's shoulder, and then kisses the top of her head before walking towards the lounge.

Jordan picks up some papers to take away and file, and when he's finished, he stops in the doorway of the lounge and watches as Stiles goes about making the coffee he always makes for Nixie.

It was a small thing, in his mind, compared to what she'd done for him that night. More than just save his life… she'd given him hope that he would, indeed, survive. Knowing how to make this special cup of coffee that she liked, was incredibly small compared to that. But it was a sign of thanks that he knew she wouldn't turn down, and so he'd take it.

He'd find other ways to make her open up to him as time went on. And he wasn't even sure why he was so hell-bent on getting her to open up more to him… to let him in and be one of those people that she called by their first name.

But he knew he wanted that. More than almost anything ever… he wanted that.

And as he came back to his desk and caught her watching him, her eyes then ducking down quickly as she bit her lip nervously… he couldn't help but feel that maybe she wanted that too.

* * *

Chapter 12! So, how did you guys like my version of Teen Wolf Season 3b? I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I'm not certain when I'll be able to work on reworking Season 4 and then posting that, but that is my next project. I think I'm still pretty okay with Season 5, and I intend to leave that one alone. So after Season 4, I'll finally get to Season 6. :) :)

Also, thank you so much to everyone and anyone who has taken the time to read this. I can't tell you enough how honored I am that you have chosen to spend some of your precious time on reading my version of this story. So thank you. From the very bottom of my heart, thank you.


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